The Detroit Pistons opened up the NBA schedule on a good note by eking out a win over the Orlando Magic, who was also a team in the draft lottery last spring.
Anyone making a Pistons vs Knicks prediction could see that New York opened with a much tougher game.
Previous Western Conference Playoffs
The Knights lost a narrow decision to Memphis Grizzlies, who were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs last season.
Both the Knicks and Pistons are hoping to be on course for better seasons than they had last year. New York tumbled out of the playoffs last season.
Detroit was devastated by NBA injuried players and ended up in the playoffs, and landed in the lottery once again. Here’s a look at what to watch out for during Friday night’s game at Madison Square Garden.
Pistons vs. Knicks Betting Preview
Knicks Open With a Flurry
When it comes to NBA matchups, New York knows it will be an underdog to Memphis on the road. However, the Knicks found a way to drag the Grizzlies to overtime before falling 115-112 in their season opener. New York should be encouraged by the offensive effort it got from its offense.
The Knicks had seven players score in double figures, including 24 from Julius Randle and 22 from Cam Reddish.
Free-flowing Games
What was alarming for New York was how poorly it shot from the perimeter. Against a Memphis team comfortable playing in free-flowing games, the Knicks only shot 24.3 percent from the 3-point line.
New York got taken out of its comfort zone against the Memphis Grizzlies. Both teams attempted over 100 shots. The New York Knicks were outrebounded by 10.
What helped New York was winning the battle in the paint. The Knicks held a 68-48 edge in points in the paint.
Pistons Ready for a Better Experience
Two years of being high in the NBA lottery has fans in Motown hoping the Pistons may finally be on an upward trajectory.
Anyone making a Pistons vs Knicks prediction will see positive signs from Detroit’s last two No. 1 draft picks.
Three Rebounds
This year’s top pick, Purdue product Jaden Ivey, finished with 19 points, four assists, and three rebounds in his NBA debut.
Last year’s No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham led Detroit with a double-double against the Magic, recording 18 points and 10 assists.
NBA Player Stats
Former Utah Jazz standout Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons in scoring with 24 points. Bogdanovic showed why the Pistons were eager to acquire him as he stretched out the court, making a team-high six 3-pointers, according to NBA player stats.
Detroit won its season opener despite shooting at a lower percentage from the field and being outrebounded.
The Pistons did make three more 3-pointers than the Magic. Detroit will want to make sure it continues to improve incrementally to help avoid getting caught up in the rigors of an 82-game season.
Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks Odds Breakdown
Anyone making a Pistons vs Knicks prediction can see New York is a 6.5-point favorite. The over/under has been set at 217 points. New York is -265 on the moneyline, while the Pistons are +215.
Both teams are 1-0 against the spread this season. Also, both teams’ season-opener went over the total.
The Knicks are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games when taking on the Pistons. New York has won the last five games in the series straight up.
Pistons vs. New York Knicks Betting Analysis and Prediction
Collecting lottery picks in back-to-back seasons have people optimistic about the future of Detroit. The Pistons have only made the playoffs three times since the 2007-08 season and are 0-12 in playoff games since then, according to NBA team stats.
Detroit made a strong statement in its season opener that the Pistons have the capability to put up points.
However, doing so on the road against a New York team that is defensively capable is a different challenge altogether.
The Knicks will want to improve their 3-point shooting, but if they can maintain some semblance of balance like they did in the opener, New York will be tough to beat. The Knicks will protect the home court and cover the spread against the Pistons.
NBA Pick: -7 (-110)
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