The New York Knicks (23-12) and Detroit Pistons (26-9) will face off in the NBA on Monday night. Tipoff from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan is set for 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on Peacock.
The Knicks are 1-point favorites over the Pistons on the spread (Knicks -1), with the over/under set at 232.5 total points. New York is a -120 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Detroit is +100 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Knicks vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Monday, January 5.
Knicks vs Pistons Prediction, Picks
- Knicks vs Pistons pick: Paul Reed Over 9.5 Points (-130)
My Pistons vs. Knicks best bet is on Paul Reed over 9.5 points, with the best price currently available at bet365. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Knicks vs Pistons Odds for Monday, Jan. 5
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 232.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| Pistons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 232.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons NBA Preview
This is, unbelievably, the first time these two teams will meet since their epic playoff series last spring.
The Knicks outscored the Pistons by just eight points in their six-game series, and they were actually outpaced by Detroit by three points across the final five games.
All of the last four games were decided by one possession or less, and we might get something similar tonight.
The Pistons are an Eastern Conference-best 26-9 on the year. Despite losing three of their last five, they have a firm 3-game lead over the Knicks, who are second in the conference.
The Knicks are 23-12 but just 5-5 since winning the NBA Cup, and they've lost three straight.
The Knicks are just 7-8 on the road this season, which is worse than the other four top-five teams in the East — the Pistons, Celtics, 76ers and Raptors — as well as the 10th-seeded Hawks.
To date, the Knicks' best road win was in Atlanta on December 27, but the Hawks — while healthy — were 15-18 heading into that contest.
Detroit is just 2-4 against the spread on no rest, while the Knicks are 4-3 ATS with a rest advantage. However, the Knicks are still the worst ATS road team this season, with a 4-11 record. The Pistons are 8-7 ATS at home.
The expected absences for New York are their heart and soul in Josh Hart (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder).
The Pistons will be missing emerging starting center Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip). Caris LeVert (knee) has also missed three straight games.
Knicks vs Pistons Betting Predictions, Analysis
Duren is out, so Paul Reed will likely log big minutes.
The Knicks are toying with the double big lineup again, having started Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns together last game, as they search for answers without Hart.
Towns and Robinson — whether they start together or not — aren't an easy match-up on the glass. Still, I think Reed is playable over points + rebounds or just the points.
At the time I played this, I found Reed at over 9.5 points and liked that number the most.
The Knicks allow the seventh fewest rebounds per 100 possessions and the fifth fewest points in the paint per game.
But Reed's number is too low, given the opportunity he's in line to get. To combat KAT and Mitch — together on the floor or not — Reed will earn ample minutes without Duren.
In three starts without Duren, Reed has played 25, 30, and 31 minutes, scoring 28, 10, and 8 points, respectively.
Let's get a couple of KAT miscommunications and broken plays, add some added pressure on Cade Cunningham off-screen, and roll actions to get Reed a few easy ones.
Knicks vs Pistons Best Bet
- Paul Reed Over 9.5 Points (-130)
Pistons vs Knicks Betting Trends
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