The Detroit Pistons have been one of the NBA’s best stories this season, but don’t expect a happy-to-be-here vibe heading into tonight’s Game 1 against the New York Knicks.
Between Cade Cunningham’s magic and the scuffling tag team of Isiah Stewart and Ron Holland II, the Pistons won’t shrink from the moment, and the visitors feature heavily in my favorite NBA player props.
Read on for my top three NBA picks ahead of this April 19 clash, and be sure and check out Zak Hanshew's Pistons vs. Knicks preview and predictions piece.
Best Pistons vs Knicks props
Cade Cunningham Over 6.5 1Q points (-110 at bet365)
OG Anunoby Over 4.5 rebounds (-120 at bet365)- Malik Beasley Over 13.5 points (-115 at bet365)
Pistons vs Knicks player props for April 19
Cade Cunningham Over 6.5 1Q points (-110 at bet365)
The New York Knicks have to be sick of the sight of Cade Cunningham, who’s given them fits this year, averaging 30.8 PPG in four matchups against New York, and the Detroit Pistons need a burst of Cade early in Game 1 to set the tone.
I like the Over on 6.5 1Q points here, with the Pistons starting the contest with some plays for Cunningham.
He scored 12 points in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks last Friday, and he was similarly aggressive against the Knicks the prior night with 4-for-5 shooting in the opening frame.
There are mismatches to target against the Knicks, particularly if he can get Karl-Anthony Towns on an island at the 3-point line, but Cade may not even require that edge.
He got to his spots easily enough against Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby in their regular season clashes, while knocking down 52% of his triples.
Detroit can’t make this a competitive series without some supernova outings from Cunningham, and I see him embracing the MSG spotlight.
OG Anunoby Over 4.5 rebounds (-120 at bet365)
The Knicks can match the Pistons on the glass, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart countering Jalen Duren’s relentless effort, but look for OG Anunoby to be a factor on the boards too.
Anunoby has grabbed 5+ rebounds in five of his last seven outings, including eight boards against the Boston Celtics last week, with three of those coming on the offensive glass.
Of course, the minutes will never be a cause for concern, with Anunoby in line for a workload in the high 30s, and he should capitalize on extra space in the paint when Towns is able to drag Duren away from the rim.
Every loose ball is going to be a scrap with the physical competitors on both teams, but Anunoby has thrived in those situations, and he averaged 6.0 RPG during New York’s playoff run last season. Expect another do-it-all performance tonight from the Knicks wing.
Malik Beasley Over 13.5 points (-115 at bet365)
Malik Beasley’s contributions off the bench have been huge for the Pistons this year. He averaged 16.3 PPG during the regular season and did most of his damage from downtown. Beasley made almost 42% of his 3-pointers while attempting nine per game.
That’s the type of high-volume shooting required for a Detroit upset victory here, and Beasley splashed six triples on the way to 22 points against the Knicks at MSG in January.
With New York’s prowling wing defenders, the visitors are going to need Beasley’s offense to open up space for Cunningham to operate, and he’s been a road sparkplug all season, with 17.4 PPG away from Little Caesars Arena. That makes the Over on 13.5 points a value pick.
He’s also got a point to prove after underwhelming postseason outings for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers over the past two years. Beasley is a much better shooter than he showed in those playoff runs, and I see him giving Detroit a nice scoring kick tonight in Game 1.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
