The New York Knicks (1-1) and Detroit Pistons (1-1) will square off in Game 3 of their first round NBA Playoff series tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Knicks are 1.5-point road favorites over the Pistons on the spread, with the over/under set at 217 total points. New York is a -125 favorite to win outright, while Detroit is +105 to pull off the upset.
The Pistons head back home to Detroit for Game 3 after stealing home-court advantage from New York with a road win in Game 2. We're all tied up at one game apiece, with a pivotal 2-1 series lead on the line tonight.
Let's get into my Knicks vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, April 24.
Knicks vs Pistons Prediction for NBA Playoffs Game 3
My Pistons vs. Knicks Game 3 best bet is on New York moneyline, with the best line currently available at BetMGM. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
My Pick: Knicks Moneyline (-125)
Knicks vs Pistons Game 3 Odds, Picks
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 217 -110o / -110u | -125 |
| Pistons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 217 -110o / -110u | +105 |
- Knicks vs. Pistons spread: Knicks -1.5
- Knicks vs. Pistons over/under: 217 total points
- Knicks vs. Pistons moneyline: Knicks -125, Pistons +105
- Knicks vs. Pistons best bet: Knicks ML (-125)
New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons Game 3 Preview, Best Bets
The Pistons missed Isaiah Stewart due to knee inflammation in Game 2, and he is now questionable for Game 3. Paul Reed saw his minutes spike in Stew's absence. The Knicks have a clean bill of health once again.
One of New York's issues in Game 2 was a bit of an over-reliance on Jalen Brunson, who had a preposterous 42.5% usage rate, per Cleaning the Glass. Karl-Anthony Towns had a season low 13.3% usage, and scored 10 points with zero second-half points.
It is absolutely untenable to have your All-NBA center with that type of stat line and usage. New York needs to figure out a way to free up KAT.
The Pistons certainly had a nice whistle in Game 2. They outpaced New York from the charity stripe making 28/34 compared to 16/19 for the Knicks, 11 of which were from Jalen Brunson.
The Pistons’ 37.8% Free Throw Rate was their third-highest of the season, with the other two coming against the Wizards and the Hawks. Considering their season average is 19.3% (league average 19.0%), and the Knicks have the sixth-lowest Defensive FT Rate, that type of game is unlikely to recur.
Tobias Harris has been important for Detroit. He is playing significant minutes and is up to 40 and 43 in these two games. While his usage is down, he's been compensating with the extended minutes.
Harris has exceeded a 20.5 Points + Rebounds (PR) line in both games this series, and when he has played 30+ minutes this season, he averages 22.3 PR and has exceeded this mark in 60% of games. I'll grab this over.
While Detroit may see a boost returning home tonight, the Knicks have been solid with a bit of extra rest. They are 12-7 straight up with 2+ days off. This gives Tom Thibodeau extra time to game-plan, but more importantly it gives their veterans a chance to recover. I'll back New York to bounce back in Game 3.
For my same game parlay, let's take Tobias Harris to score 15+ points and grab 8+ rebounds, and Towns to score 20+ points.
Knicks vs Pistons Betting Prediction for Game 3
- Knicks Moneyline (-125)
Knicks vs Pistons Game 3 Parlay Picks
- Karl-Anthony Towns 20+ Points
- Tobias Harris 15+ Points
- Tobias Harris 8+ Rebounds
Parlay Payout: +445
Pistons vs Knicks Betting Trends
- 54% of bets and 49% of the money are on the Pistons to cover the spread.
- 53% of bets and 66% of the money on the moneyline are on the Knicks to win outright.
- 88% of bets and 86% of the money are on the over.
Betting trends via our live, updating NBA public betting & money percentages page.
For the latest on NBA injuries, be sure to check out our NBA Injury Report page.
