Jalen Brunson and the Knicks took a pivotal 3-1 lead over Cade Cunningham and the Pistons over the weekend, albeit a bit controversially. New York will now look to deliver the final blow of the gentleman's sweep at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Sporting News has you covered with the most up-to-date lines, spreads and player props for this Eastern Conference tilt, with the latest odds from the BetMGM online sportsbook.
Here's our betting preview for Knicks vs. Pistons Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, including the odds, our final score prediction and best bets.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 5: Spread, moneyline, over/under
All odds and props are from BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.
- ATS: Knicks -5.5 (-110) | Pistons +5.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Knicks -220 | Pistons +180
- Over/under: O 214.5 (-105) | U 214.5 (-115)
The Knicks won back-to-back road games in Detroit to take the commanding 3-1 lead. Since the first round moved to a best-of-seven format, teams taking a 3-1 series have gone on to advance 82 of 85 times (.964 winning percentage). New York has gone 13-7 in its past 20 home games, while Detroit is 3-7 over its past 10 games overall.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 5 best bets and final score prediction
The Knicks had a wake-up call when Detroit won Game 2 at Madison Square Garden. Then, New York got gifted a no-call on a foul late in Game 4 that would have very likely given the Pistons a W and a 2-2 tie headed back to MSG. Tim Hardaway not getting those three free throws — with J.B. Bickerstaff's squad down 1 and no time on the clock — was a pivotal blow.
Tom Thibodeau and his squad know full well the amount of talent this young Pistons team possesses. They also know they're playing with house money with the 3-1 lead, and they sure as hell don't want to go back to Motown. With the Celtics also up 3-1 and at home, the Knicks need to finish this series now and get ready for the defending champs.
New York is 28-11 as a home favorite since the start of the 2024-25 season, while Detroit is 11-15 as a road underdog. When afforded the same amount of rest time as their opponents, the Knicks are 35-12. Brunson just won Clutch Player of the Year, and Karl-Anthony Towns is playing the best basketball of his career.
Long story short, the Knicks are winning this game. Too much talent, experience and home-court advantage. To avoid a coin-flip Game 6 in Detroit, New York slams the door shut on these feisty Pistons in Game 5. Just don't bet on the spread — there's no way we can trust it at 5.5 points.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Knicks 107, Pistons 102 — New York wins but just barely misses the cover (-5.5), while the score goes UNDER the projected total of 214.5.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 5 top player prop bet
Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Knicks: OVER 35.5 points + rebounds (-115)
Brunson deserves his flowers, especially after putting up 32 points, 11 assists and five rebounds one game after hurting his ankle. But KAT deserves some praise for his Game 4 efforts, too. The big man recorded 27 points, nine rebounds and a block while shooting 5-of-7 from three-point land.
Towns has been playing the best hoop of his entire career, and he should capitalize on the Jalen Duren matchup again in Game 5. He topped this projection in each of the past two games in Detroit, and he'll top it once more for the series clincher at MSG.
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