There’s little doubt that the New York Knicks’ double-overtime victory over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets feels like a season-changing moment. Yet, for a squad that has championship aspirations, a mere feeling isn’t good enough.
Jalen Brunson‘s Knicks need to emphatically stamp themselves in the East, and that’s exactly the opportunity that presents itself on Friday night.
Winners of eight-straight games, the Knicks hit the road to take on the conference-leading Detroit Pistons.
Revenge on the mind
Just 4.5 games behind Detroit, New York looks to avenge one of its most brutal losses this season.
On Jan. 5, Mike Brown’s team was clobbered by the Pistons, 121-90. This game, too, was played at the Little Caesars Arena (on the road), which is a significant reason Friday night’s contest is such a major test.
Not only is the opponent critical, but the idea of these Knicks not allowing their momentum to be stopped away from Madison Square Garden is critical.
New York’s best wins in this eight-game winning streak have come at home — a nice win against LeBron James’s Los Angeles Lakers and the aforementioned victory over the Nuggets. Five of the eight games were played at the friendly confines of the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Incredibly, despite their successes, the Knicks still have a losing road record (11-12). Meanwhile, they remain dominant at home, with a 21-6 mark.
Some would argue that the reason is a continued reliance on 3-point shooting, which leads to a streaky style of play. When things are going great, they’re going tremendously. When things get tough, there’s little to fall back on in terms of team identity.
However, the Knicks began this winning streak by getting back to the familiar grinding style of play that worked so well for them in the 2024-25 season. Therefore, the hope is that it continues in Detroit, and they can match the Pistons’ physical style of play.
Game details
Injury report
The Knicks’ trade-dealine acquisition is not playing on Friday night. Jose Alvarado’s debut is still on hold.
On the Knicks’ injury front, Deuce McBride is, of course, out indefinitely with a sports hernia. The actual injury report labels Karl-Anthony Towns as doubtful, and he’s unlikely to play.
Meanwhile, Josh Hart is questionable and likely to play, whereas a new addition to the report, OG Anunoby, is listed as probable.
Expect Mitchell Robinson to receive more minutes with a New York lineup that emphasizes toughness and defense.
For Detroit, Jalen Duran is questionable with right-knee soreness, and Tobias Harris is probable (left-hip soreness).
Odds
The Pistons are 4.5-point (-110) home favorites, per FanDuel Sportsbook. New York’s moneyline is set at +160, while Detroit’s is -190.
The over-under point total is currently 220.5.
Standings and TV
The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons are set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday night. A win can pull Mike Brown’s squad into .500 road-game status this season, and would cut Detroit’s Eastern Conference lead to just 3.5 games.
The game can be seen on MSG Networks.
