NBA Summer League: New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons Predictions, Odds, Picks

• After dropping their first game of the Summer League, the Knicks have won two in a row!
• The Pistons have had some bright moments, but they are yet to put it together with a victory.
• This will be the first leg of a back-to-back for both teams.

New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons Odds

The New York Knicks are on a positive run after dropping their first game. Detroit however are relying too much on individual play and are struggling to find good opportunities from range. New York should find their third win here.

Pick:

New York Knicks def. Detroit Pistons

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How to Watch New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons

Head-to-Head: New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons

NYK: All Through the Backcourt

The New York Knicks seem to have found their footing in the summer league and have now won two straight games. In their most recent matchup against the Lakers, it was their backcourt that created all of the issues.

Immanuel Quickley and Miles McBride did most of the damage for the Knicks, combining for 47 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. Part of the reason for their production is their expert usage of Toppin and Sims on the offensive side. Both athletic and good finishers, the Knicks backcourt always has a bailout plan should their own creation attempts go dry.

Against a backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes, the Knicks backcourt will also need to show their quality on the defensive side of the ball. Ensuring they don’t give up as much as they create should give the Knicks their third victory.

Knicks Key Player: (G) Immanuel Quickley

Sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley is the obvious leader on this talented New York Knicks summer league roster. While he struggled in his first game, Quickley found his rhythm and is coming off of a strong performance against the Lakers.

In his last game, Quickley posted 25 points, seven assists, and one steal on the evening. While he was just one of six from three-point range, Quickley made up for it by going 10 of 10 from the free throw line.

The Knicks have the pace and scoring ability to run the Pistons out of the game early. With Quickley’s hot-and-cold shooting tendencies, he’ll be at the forefront of their early scoring push.

DET: Find Better Opportunities

The Pistons may be showcasing the number one overall pick, but they can’t fall back on isolation play if they want to win against the Knicks. Finding better scoring opportunities and converting efficiently is the only way they’ll beat this high-powered Knicks roster.

In their last game the Pistons had just 14 assists on 33 field goals and shot a poor seven of 35 from three-point range. While Summer League is always a difficult place to find offensive rhythm, guards Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham need to be more involved in playmaking.

Detroit hasn’t put up a strong defensive effort through this summer league, but they have a number of pieces that have shown promise. Combining their two-way talents is the best way they’ll be able to find success.

Pistons Key Player: (G-F) Cade Cunningham

Rightfully so, teams are locking in on Cade Cunningham. The number one overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft hasn’t really found a great rhythm offensively, but has improved over his first two games.

In his most recent match Cunningham posted 20 points, four rebounds, and three steals on 44.4% shooting from the floor while also converting on four of nine three-pointers. Unfortunately, Cunningham also had four turnovers and seven fouls in the losing effort.

Cunningham is sure to see his fair share of defenders when he lines up against the New York Knicks. If the Pistons hope to win, he needs to stay aggressive offensively, not foul, and improve on his ball security.