Knicks Seek First Win Against Pistons, Who Have Won Six Straight
The defending champions enter Tuesday's matchup with a 0-3 record, while Detroit starts 3-0 and is missing Jalen Duren.
By Yasmin Kovalenko ·
The New York Knicks enter Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons with a 0-3 record, making them the third defending champion to begin a season winless through three games. The Pistons, currently 3-0, have won each of the last six regular season matchups against New York. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
New York holds a 4.5-point favorite status in the current odds, with the over/under set at 219.5 points. The Knicks will attempt to secure their first victory of the season against a team that went undefeated against them in the previous year. Detroit's roster is missing center Jalen Duren due to a hamstring injury.
Recent meetings between these two clubs at Madison Square Garden have produced high-scoring games. The total points have exceeded the line in the last four regular season matchups. Seven of the previous eight meetings have also gone over the total. In five of those seven instances, the combined score surpassed the line by double digits.
SportsLine's projection model ran 10,000 simulations of the game to forecast scoring outcomes. The model predicts all five Knicks starters will score in double figures. Detroit has eight players projected to score at least eight points. The simulation forecasts a combined total of 225 points.
The model places the over at 57% of simulations. This projection aligns with the trend in Detroit's season, where the over has hit in two of three games. The absence of Duren is expected to facilitate higher scoring for New York on the offensive end.
The SportsLine model has returned nearly $19,000 in profit for $100 players on top-rated NBA picks since 2018. The system is currently on a 26-10 record on top-rated spread picks for the 2026-27 season. The model identifies one side of the spread as better value based on these simulations.
Betting lines and specific spread picks are available through SportsLine's platform. The model's analysis covers both the total points and the point spread for the Tuesday night contest.
Source: CBS Sports
