Pistons vs. Knicks Prediction, NBA Odds & Best Bets (10/27)

Fact checked at 7:19 AM ET, Oct 27, 2026

Odds as of 5:39 AM ET, Oct 27, 2026

Detroit comes to Madison Square Garden at 3-0, and the defending champion Knicks are 0-3. Tip-off is 8:00 PM ET. New York lost by six at home to Philadelphia, by four at Boston and by nine at home to Orlando, and the scoring is the problem: 100, 103 and 102 points, an average of 101.7 that ranks last in the league after three games. Detroit beat Boston 121-113 at home, then won 128-111 at Miami and 106-93 at Philadelphia, and its 105.7 points allowed a game ranks fifth-fewest, also over three games.

Our read is that New York's offense stays stuck against that defense. A low-scoring Knicks night keeps Detroit inside the number, and it keeps Jalen Brunson, who has taken about one in four of the Knicks' shots, under his scoring line. Both picks win in that game.

The market still has New York favored: Knicks -3.5, with Detroit +3.5 at -114, and a total of 218.5. All three Knicks games have finished under that total, at 206, 210 and 213 points. Detroit center Jalen Duren is out with a right hamstring strain that is expected to keep him out at least two weeks, and Ausar Thompson (right ankle sprain) and Isaiah Joe (right hip contusion) are questionable on the latest official report. Thompson missed Detroit's last game and Joe sat its second half. New York's Jose Alvarado is out with a left ankle sprain. This is Detroit's third straight road game.

Pistons vs. Knicks Predictions

• Pick #1: Pistons +3.5 (-114)
• Pick #2: Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 Points (-112)

PICK #1: Pistons +3.5 (-114)

Detroit brings the better defense, and New York brings the lowest-scoring offense in the league so far. Detroit has allowed 113, 111 and 93 points, and New York has scored 100, 103 and 102. The Knicks haven't topped 103 in any game, and the shooting explains it: they went 9-of-38 from three against Orlando, and Mikal Bridges is 0-for-10 from deep this season.

Detroit has won by eight, 17 and 13, so all three of its games cleared +3.5 with room. At -114, the implied probability is 53.3%, and the bet is settled on the full game with overtime included.

The risk starts with Duren. He started the first two games, though he played only 10 minutes at Miami, so Detroit's defensive numbers include him. The 93-point game came without Duren and Thompson, but Philadelphia was also without Joel Embiid, and Paul Reed started at center. Three games is a short stretch for both teams, and New York has started the same five players every night. Detroit has defended well in all three of its games, and New York has yet to score well in any of its three, so we will take the points.

PICK #2: Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 Points (-112)

Brunson has scored 21, 19 and 28 points in 34, 37 and 32 minutes, and the efficiency hasn't been there. He shot 6-of-19 against Philadelphia, 7-of-17 at Boston and 12-of-28 against Orlando, and he is 4-of-15 from three. His 28 took 28 shots against an Orlando defense that has allowed 116.3 points a game over three games. Detroit's defense, at 105.7, is a different test, and it held Philadelphia to 93 in its last game.

He's stayed under 25.5 in two of his three games, and -112 implies 52.8%. The offense runs through him: he has taken 64 of the Knicks' 267 shots. If New York stays cold, his number comes down with it.

The worry is his track record and his volume. Brunson averaged 26.0 points last season, so the line sits just below his normal night. He took 28 shots in his last game and said afterward that the struggling offense falls on his shoulders, so he may keep firing. Alvarado's absence takes another ball-handler away, and Detroit has no Duren to protect the rim. At -112, we will take the Under on a cold shooter against a defense that ranks fifth in points allowed.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.