The Knicks begin a three-game homestand with the sole aim of getting back to .500, having started the season 0-3 and shown plenty of signs of being out of form.
They started the season a step behind their rivals. In their last defeat to the Magic, they ran out of gas in the final quarter, in which Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 23 points.
What’s more, their stars have yet to find their rhythm. Neither Brunson nor Towns is playing well, and the same goes for the rest of their starters, with the exception of Anunoby.
If they don’t want to be in for too many scares, they should win tonight with a sense of urgency. They have no other choice. Then come more manageable games against Chicago and Philadelphia.
Pistons vs Knicks date and time
Date: 28 October 2026.
Time: These are the Pistons vs Knicks start times by time zone.
| United Kingdom | 00:00 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela | 18:00 |
| Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua | 16:00 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 16:00 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay | 19:00 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama | 19:00 |
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York.
Pistons vs Knicks starting fives
For the visitors, Jenkins and Paul Reed are expected to start again after injuries to Ausar Thompson (ankle) and Jalen Duren (hamstring) were confirmed.
| Pistons | Knicks |
| Cade Cunningham | Jalen Brunson |
| Daniss Jenkins | Mikal Bridges |
| Duncan Robinson | Josh Hart |
| John Collins | OG Anunoby |
| Paul Reed | Karl-Anthony Towns |
Pistons vs Knicks: best bet
Given how the New Yorkers have started, still seemingly on holiday, these Pistons are huge favourites to take the win at the Garden.
JB Bickerstaff’s side top the Eastern Conference with a record of 3-0 after beating the Sixers 106-93 last time out.
Latest Pistons news: injuries and form
Two of their starters will be confirmed absentees against the Knicks: Ausar Thompson with a sprained ankle, and Jalen Duren, who will be out for at least two weeks with a severe hamstring problem, according to the Pistons’ medical report.
Player to watch: Cade Cunningham
Cunningham tends to rise to the occasion against the Knicks, and tonight will be no different, as he is especially good at performing in the Big Apple.
In this start to the 2026-27 regular season he continues to be just as impactful, and important, in the Pistons’ attack.
His averages are 22 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists on 49% shooting from the field.
In the last game against Philadelphia he came close to a triple-double with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
Latest Knicks news: injuries and form
The New Yorkers will be without point guard José Alvarado because of a mild ankle sprain.
We therefore expect his minutes to go to young Tyler Kolek, who showed against the Magic that he is one of the best passers on the roster.
Mike Brown should consider giving Kolek more opportunities. Last season, the young guard came to his coach’s rescue on several occasions, most notably with an excellent performance on Christmas Day.
Player to watch: Jalen Brunson
It’s time to take responsibility and stop making excuses. Excuses like doing “the little things”. It’s time to win, raise their game and show why they are the reigning NBA champions.
A 0-3 start is manageable, but 0-4 is not, especially with three consecutive home games.
So far this season he is averaging 23 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Pistons vs Knicks: head-to-head record
An emphatic 3-0 in favour of the Pistons in last year’s meetings with the Knicks. They were far superior to their rivals, and Cunningham was in his element against Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby or whoever stood in front of him.
- 6 January: Detroit win by 121-90 with 29 points from Cunningham.
- 7 February: win by 118-80 with 18 points from Jenkins.
- 20 February: win by 126-111 with 42 points from Cunningham.
Pistons vs Knicks predictions
- 20+ points for Jalen Brunson.
- 30+ points for Cade Cunningham, who will be the game’s top scorer.
- 4+ three-pointers made for Duncan Robinson.
- Another double-double for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Where to watch Pistons vs Knicks
The game between Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks is available to watch in the UK via an NBA League Pass subscription.