The undefeated Detroit Pistons will ride their 3-0 record into New York to face the winless Knicks (0-3) tonight at Madison Square Garden. No defending champion has begun the season 4-0 since the 1969-70 Boston Celtics. The Pistons last went 4-0 in 2018-19. If the Pistons win tonight, it gets really interesting. Detroit has gone 5-0 to start a season since 2005-06. That was the 64-win team in its first year under Flip Saunders coming off of consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. But first, they have
to deprive the Knicks of their first win of the season, something you know the Knicks will be fighting like hell for.
Why are the Knicks winless? Nobody on their team, save for Karl-Anthony Towns, seems to remember how to shoot. They rank 30th in points, 30th in shooting efficiency, 29th in shooting inside the arc, and 27th in points in the paint. They are also surrendering 37% shooting from three, a bottom-10 mark in the NBA. The Pistons have started the season both hot and prolific from deep and hopefully that trend continues. Last season, the Pistons went undefeated against the Knicks in the regular season and Cade Cunningham averaged 27.3 points, and shot 51% from two and 41% from three. He also averaged 11 assists and four turnovers. Also, Ausar Thompson should be back in the lineup for the Pistons tonight after sitting out the team’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers with an ankle injury.
Game Vitals
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Watch: TV: NBC | Streaming: Peacock
Odds: Pistons +4.5
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (3-0)
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Paul Reed
New York Knicks (0-3)
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns
