The Pistons bounced back from a tough-luck loss in Game 4 with a huge road victory in Game 5, extending the series and bringing it back to Detroit. Cade Cunningham and company will now look to secure a Game 6 win in Motown, which would force a winner-take-all Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
This Sporting News betting prediction will list the latest NBA lines, spreads, over/under and prop odds for this pivotal Game 6 clash, then provide our final score prediction and the best bets worth locking in.
J.B. Bickerstaff's players didn't hang their heads after not getting the pivotal last-second call at the end of Game 4. Instead, Detroit lowered its shoulders and charged at the home-favorite Knicks, stunning the crowd with a 106-103 victory. The Pistons stifled Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, racking up 18 steals and blocks in a dogfight of a game.
How will New York respond on the road? Here's our betting preview for Knicks vs. Pistons Game 6 at Little Caesars Arena, including the odds, our game pick and the top player props.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 6: Spread, moneyline, over/under
All odds and props are from BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.
- ATS: Pistons -2.5 (-105) | Knicks +2.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Pistons -135 | Knicks +110
- Over/under: O 212.5 (-115) | U 212.5 (-105)
New York enters as a 2.5-point underdog despite winning the last two games in Detroit. The Knicks have gone 26-17 on the road since the start of the 2024-25 season. The Pistons have gone 22-21 at home during that same span.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 6 best bets and final score prediction
Many of the 2025 NBA playoff games have been difficult to predict, and at this point of the first round we have to start expecting the unexpected a bit. New York won Game 1 by 11 points, only to be upset 100-94 at home in Game 2. The Knicks then won two in a row in Detroit, only for the Pistons to bounce back with another huge victory in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Now, with the majority of bettors expecting the Knicks to bounce back and win Game 6, we're going with the feisty young Pistons to force a Game 7. Remember: if the end of Game 4 was officiated correctly, Tim Hardaway would have earned the chance to win in walk-off fashion by sinking two of three free-throw attempts. It's almost inarguable that Detroit has been the better team in each of the past two games.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart also got banged up in Game 5, a dire concern considering Brunson is New York's top scorer and Hart is the heart and soul of the team. Brunson left Tuesday's game briefly after his ankle buckled awkwardly. Hart encountered a wrist issue, but he said after the game that his whole body is bothering him. Both are expected to play on Thursday, but the huge minutes Tom Thibodeau gives his core-rotation players should make Knicks fans nervous.
These Pistons on the ropes are a sight to behold, and with banged-up opponents, we can expect them to come out swinging at home. Cunningham just put up 24 points despite shooting 6-of-17, and Hardaway shot 2-of-10, but Detroit still eked out the win. Can you imagine if either of those players shoot closer to their normal percentages on Thursday? While still playing strong defense on Brunson?
Don't expect Karl-Anthony Towns or OG Anunoby to bail the Knicks out late, either. KAT shot just 1-of-4 from the field in the fourth quarter of Game 5, and OG took just one shot in the final frame despite scoring 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting through the first three quarters. Some players tense up or hide from the ball at the biggest moments — others, like many of the Pistons during this series, go for the kill.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Pistons 107, Knicks 103 — Detroit wins and covers (-2.5), while the score goes just UNDER the projected total of 212.5.
Knicks vs. Pistons Game 6 top player prop bet
Cade Cunningham, G, Pistons: OVER 26.5 points (-125)
As mentioned, Cade put up 24 points in Game 5 despite missing 11 of his 17 shots. A couple more makes or a couple more fouls drawn and he easily would have bested this over/under at the world's most famous arena. Now he returns home, with multiple Knicks perimeter defenders banged up? Yeah, we're riding with the MotorCade on Thursday.