Knicks vs. Pistons Opening Odds for Game 6: Detroit Favored to Force a Game 7

Breaking down the opening odds for Game 6 between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

The Pistons are favored to win Game 6. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons aren’t done yet.

On Tuesday night, Detroit rode a strong third quarter – something that has become a theme in this series – to beat the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden and force a Game 6 in Detroit on Thursday night. 

During this first-round matchup, the Pistons have a +28.0 net rating in the third quarter, the best of any team in the playoffs. That has forced the Knicks into some tough situations late in games, and with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart getting banged up in Game 5, New York was unable to close things out at home.

Hart and Brunson both were on the bench for a lot of the closing minutes in Game 5, as Brunson reaggravated his right ankle injury and Hart took a nasty foul on a rebound attempt late in the quarter. 

Heading into Game 6, the Pistons have some momentum, and oddsmakers are buying this young team to force a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, setting Detroit as a two-point favorite at home in Game 6.

Here’s a look at the opening odds for this matchup. 

Knicks vs. Pistons Odds, Spread and Total for Game 6

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Knicks +2 (-110)
• Pistons -2 (-110)

Moneyline

• Knicks: +110
• Pistons: -130

Total

• 213 (Over -110/Under -110)

Based on these odds (-130 to win), the Pistons have an implied probability of 56.52 percent to win Game 6 and force a Game 6.

Even though the Knicks have the lead in this series, one could argue that the Pistons have outplayed them. The Knicks’ wins in Games 3 and 4 came by a combined three points, and New York has trailed for stretches in every game. 

Detroit has also dominated the Knicks in the third quarter in this series, forcing New York to play catch up in just about every fourth quarter. 

While New York is still favored to win the series, it appears that there is a real chance that a winner-take-all Game 7 could happen on Saturday. 

In the latest NBA Finals odds, the Knicks remained at +4500. That tells us that oddsmakers still believe that they’ll advance, even though they are underdogs in Game 6.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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