Knicks vs. Pistons NBA Playoffs: Betting Odds, Series Prediction, and Best Bets

The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs tips off this Saturday, and a 3-versus-6 seed series between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons figures to be one of the more exciting opening showdowns.

New York and Detroit were truly a tale of two cities heading into this season.

The Knicks risked their future for a chance at a better present, finding a way to bring in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this past offseason. It ended up granting them a 51-31 record in the regular season, but an 0-10 record against the top three teams in the league has left us wondering whether they can legitimately be billed as a contender.

While the Knicks are at risk of underachieving, the Pistons have already exceeded expectations in 2025. An infamous 14-68 record a season ago was quickly washed away by a 44-38 status this go around, and Cade Cunningham has proved to be a viable franchise cornerstone.

Can the new order Bad Boys give the Knicks a run for their money? Using FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA Playoff Odds, let's check out the best bets for this series.

All NBA betting odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Knicks vs. Pistons Series Betting Odds

The Knicks currently have -390 odds (79.6% implied probability) to win this series.

A series spread can be found for each side -- Knicks -2.5 (+126) and Pistons +2.5 (-154). The series over/under is sitting at 5.5 games with -128 odds on the over.

Where can we find value in this market? Let's identify the best bets for Knicks-Pistons.

Best Bets for Knicks vs. Pistons NBA Playoff Series

Pistons To Win Series (+310)

When it's all said and done, I'm expecting to see the Knicks advance to the second round.

It does, however, feel necessary to shout out the value we can get in backing the Pistons at +310.

The Knicks finished the year with a +4.0 net rating (eighth-best in the NBA) to Detroit's +2.1 net rating (12th-best). But since the All-Star break, the Pistons have managed a +4.9 net rating -- the ninth-best in the league.

Detroit went 3-1 against New York this season, though the Knicks were without at least one starter in two of those losses. The Pistons were also one of just nine teams to beat both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics this year.

What is Detroit's path to potentially winning this series?

It starts with Cunningham. He averaged 30.8 points versus the Knicks this season and has at times shown a ceiling from the foul line that could rival Jalen Brunson's volume. He's capable of having a single-game performance that the Knicks can't overcome.

So too can Malik Beasley, one of the biggest bench threats in the NBA. Despite coming off the bench, Beasley made 319 threes this season -- the second-most in the league behind only Anthony Edwards (320). His ability to get open looks paired with his 41.6% three-point percentage could come back to bite a Knicks team that surrendered the fifth-highest 3P% this season. Beasley went 6 for 8 and 7 for 10 from downtown in two of his meetings versus the Knicks this year.

Dunks and Threes hands the Pistons a 31.4% win chance for this series -- up from the 24.4% implied probability on these +310 odds. So, if you're a Pistons fan (or a Knicks hater), you can feel good about betting Detroit outright knowing there is likely value to be had at this line. Otherwise, I'd prefer to get exposure to the series by betting on it to go long.

Series Correct Score: Knicks 4-2 (+440)

I think two things can be true here.

The Pistons appear to be undervalued outright in this series, but it is a tall order to ask this young group to overcome a more veteran Knicks squad that logs playoff-like minutes all season long.

Brunson is still the preferred closer over Cunningham and Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby round out a lineup that is long on playoff experience.

But as we've learned, nothing comes easy for this Knicks team, so I like the idea of betting on a clunky-ish series victory for them.

Whether it's a Cunningham scoring clinic, Beasley three-point barrage, or Jalen Duren rebounding masterclass, the Pistons have the fixings to steal a couple of games against a Knicks team that sent a league-leading eight games into overtime this season, but did so in 6-2 fashion.

I like the Knicks to prevail in six, but betting the series to go over 5.5 games at -128 odds is perhaps a preferred tamer route to support a competitive series.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.