NBA picks, odds, betting odds Friday

The New York Knicks (2-2) got back on track with a blowout win over Miami on Wednesday.

All-Star center Karl Anthony-Towns exploded for 44 points and 13 rebounds to propel the Knicks to victory.

The Knicks’ second game of their four-game road trip will come Friday against the Detroit Pistons, who have just a 1-4 overall record but were able to earn a road win against Philly.

Will New York break a .500 record for the first time this season?

Knicks vs. Pistons Odds

Team	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Knicks	-6.5 (-110)	-255	More than 217.5 (-110)
Pistons	+6.5 (-110)	+210	Under 217.5 (-110)

Odds provided by FanDuel

Knicks vs. Pistons prediction

(7 p.m. ET, MSG)

There’s a lot to feel good about if you’re a Knicks fan.

After an opening night loss to the Celtics – who tied the NBA record for most three-pointers in a game – the Knicks won two of their next three games.

Despite the recent acquisitions of Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges, the Knicks have quickly established themselves on the offensive end of the court, boasting the NBA’s third-highest offensive rating and second-highest effective field goal percentage.

New York has already faced the defending champions and an undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers team, which says something about his defensive abilities.

The Knicks now turn their attention to Detroit, which has played better than the record indicates.

Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks shoots a free throw during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 28, 2024 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NBAE via Getty Images

Detroit dominated the glass (third in overall rebounding percentage) and shot the ball quite well (18th in true shooting percentage) in the first handful of games.

The Pistons defense also looks much improved from previous seasons.

They rank 17th among NBA squads in defensive rating, 16th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent 3-point percentage.

Additionally, Detroit has held its opponents to the second-fewest second-chance points in the league, which will be imperative to staying in games.

Bet on the NBA?

Knicks vs. Pistons pick

I like that the Pistons are keeping this game competitive on their home floor.

While they likely won’t beat one of the NBA’s best teams, they have significantly more offensive firepower than in previous years, including a healthy Cade Cunningham, a much-improved Jaden Ivey and a red-hot Tim Hardaway Jr.

Malik Beasley can also provide some bench shooting, and while Tobias Harris has struggled offensively, he has done a great job crashing the glass.

Detroit also doesn’t mind playing slow, which is advantageous against an equally slow Knicks team. Unlike other teams, the Pistons (28th in pace) won’t be fazed by the snail pace of New York (30th).

The Knicks should be able to pull out a road win, but Detroit could make things difficult for them.

Choice: Pistons +6.5 (BetMGM)

Why trust New York Post betting

Andrew Norton has handicapped in the NBA, WNBA, NFL, college basketball and football, UFC and golf. During the 2022-2023 NBA season, he delivered an eye-popping 14.1% ROI, cashed in on 60% of his NBA spread picks and led Tallysight in its SportsIQ metric.