The New York Knicks (51-31) host the Detroit Pistons (44-38) at Madison Square Garden on Saturday in what marks Detroit's first playoff appearance since the 2018-19 season.
Led by Jalen Brunson (26 PPG) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24.4 PPG), the Knicks enter as 7-point favorites despite the Pistons winning their last three head-to-head matchups.
Detroit's inexperienced roster—featuring 12 players in their third year or less—faces a significant challenge against playoff-tested New York in the hostile atmosphere of the Garden.
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons matchup, our predictive model gives the Knicks a 73% chance of defeating the Pistons.
Pre-game probabilities
New York Knicks
Moneyline
Win %
73%
27%
Detroit Pistons
New York Knicks: 73% win probability
- Superior win-loss record (51-31, 3rd in East) compared to Detroit's 44-38
- Strong home-court advantage as a top-3 Eastern Conference team
- Better point differential (+336) than Detroit (+156) over the season
Detroit Pistons: 27% win probability
- Recent poor form (LLWLL) suggesting a team struggling with consistency
- Road game disadvantage against a higher-seeded opponent
- Lower offensive output (9471 points) than New York's 9494 points scored
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts.
Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts.
| New York Knicks | Detroit Pistons | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
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New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons preview
The Knicks head into this playoff opener at Madison Square Garden having secured home-court advantage despite splitting their last eight games—a stark contrast to the Pistons who limp in with losses in six of their last eight.
While Detroit has surprisingly won three straight against New York, the playoff atmosphere at MSG presents a different challenge for a Pistons roster where 12 players are in their third NBA season or less.
Cade Cunningham (26.1 PPG, 9.1 APG) leads this young Detroit squad back to the postseason for the first time since 2019, while the Knicks counter with their dynamic duo of Jalen Brunson (26 PPG) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24.4 PPG).
The physical, tough-minded Pistons will aim to make this an ugly series, potentially causing problems for a Knicks team that's struggled against Central Division opponents, failing to cover the spread in nine of their last ten such matchups.
Detroit will be without Jaden Ivey, while Knicks' Ariel Hukporti remains questionable with a knee issue.
This series opener could reveal whether Detroit's youth and regular season success against New York can withstand the cauldron of playoff basketball at the Garden, where the Knicks have won seven of their last eight playoff games against Central Division teams.
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons form
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons head to head
New York Knicks
20%
Detroit Pistons
80%
Apr 19, 2025
New York Knicks
0 : 0
Detroit Pistons
Apr 10, 2025
Detroit Pistons
115 : 106
New York Knicks
Jan 14, 2025
New York Knicks
119 : 124
Detroit Pistons
Dec 8, 2024
New York Knicks
111 : 120
Detroit Pistons
Nov 1, 2024
Detroit Pistons
98 : 128
New York Knicks
Jul 19, 2024
Detroit Pistons
90 : 91
New York Knicks
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