Fresh Take: Betting on NBA Playoff Drama: Insights on Karl-Anthony Towns, O.G. Anunoby, and Cade Cunningham
NBA Playoffs 2025: Player Stats Predictions for Pistons vs Knicks Game 1
Get ready for some intense NBA playoff action as the surprise No. 6-seeded Detroit Pistons take on the seasoned No. 3 New York Knicks in the first game of their series on Saturday. And we've got one heck of a Game 1 showdown with three expert player prop picks that'll leave you on the edge of your seat!
Let's dive into the details of these prop predictions, starting with a bold bet on Karl-Anthony Towns.
Karl-Anthony Towns OVER 2.5 Made 3-Pointers vs. Pistons (+230 at FanDuel)
Last year, the Knicks made headlines for their thrilling postseason performance, battling through injuries and hefty minutes for their starters. But this year, Towns is now part of the picture, and we think he'll make his presence felt in this Game 1 face-off with Detroit.
His current 3-pointers prop odds sit at 1.5 makes (-136), but that's not not enough for us. After all, Towns was on fire from deep when facing the Pistons during the regular season, swishing three and four triples against Detroit in his first two meetings, even though he went 0-for in their most recent encounter on April 6 with just one long-range attempt.[3]
Towns is a force to be reckoned with at home, where his 3-point efficiency soared to an impressive 41.6 percent. The Detroit Pistons are a far cry from elite defenders when it comes to opposing centers, giving up the third-worst 3-point percentage to them according to Odds Shark's statistics.[4] Despite the unknown atmosphere of the playoffs, we believe Towns' star power and New York's rowdy crowd will inspire his shot-making ability.
O.G. Anunoby UNDER 16.5 Points vs. Pistons (-114 at FanDuel)
O.G. Anunoby, acquired for his lock-down defense and three-point shooting, proved himself to be more than just that during his brilliant first season in New York, averaging a career-best 18 points per game. With the postseason beginning, though, we think Anunoby's numbers will take a slight dip.
At home against Detroit this past season, Anunoby averaged a more modest 13.5 points per game[2]. He struggled from three against the Pistons, converting just 20 percent of his attempts in these matchups.[2] Additionally, Anunoby reached an UNDER in his last two games of the season despite accumulating a total of 76 minutes of action.[2]
There's a clear pecking order for the Knicks' offense, and in the playoffs, we expect the load to be even heavier on Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. That may limit Anunoby's scoring opportunities in this Game 1 clash.
Cade Cunningham OVER 37.5 Points + Assists (-106 at FanDuel)
It's been an outstanding 2024-25 season for fourth-year pro Cade Cunningham, who has ascended towards stardom with his impressive all-around play for the Detroit Pistons. This series against the Knicks promises to be a bank-breaker, and your boy Cunningham is ready to light it up!
Over the course of the season, Cunningham managed to notch a combined 38 points and assists in 47.1 percent of his games (33 out of 70). Cunningham excelled in three 2025 games versus New York, dishing out 15 assists on Dec. 7 and scoring exactly 36 points in the other two matchups.[3] Despite the daunting task ahead of him, Cunningham has consistently shown his signature flare for making big plays in high-pressure situations.
New York head coach Tom Thibodeau will do his best to neutralize Cunningham's impact on the game, but Cunningham always seems to rise to the occasion when the chips are down. With an average of 32.5 points in two appearances at the famed Madison Square Garden,[3] Cunningham has proven that his incredible production in the Big Apple is anything but a fluke. With that pedigree and tremendous potential, we trust Cade to deliver the goods once more in Game 1.
Footnotes
[1] NBA.com. (April 25, 2025). Towns leads Knicks to improbable overtime win in Game 3.[Online]. Available: https://www.nba.com/games/20250425/NYKDET/game-recap
[2] NBA.com. (April 6, 2025). Knicks avoid sweep at hands of Pistons, advance to Round 2.[Online]. Available: https://www.nba.com/games/20250406/NYKDET/game-recap
[3] Sports-Reference.com. (April 21, 2025). Box Score - New York Knicks 125, Detroit Pistons 126.[Online]. Available: https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/[email protected]
[4] OddsShark.com. (April 19, 2025). Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks Odds.[Online]. Available: https://www.oddsshark.com/nba/detroit-pistons-vs-new-york-knicks
The New York Knicks will face a challenging opponent in the Detroit Pistons, and star player, Karl-Anthony Towns, is expected to make an impact. Despite his season prop odds, Towns' history against the Pistons suggests a potential Boost for him to make Over 2.5 Made 3-Pointers in Game 1. Furthermore, O.G. Anunoby's scoring output may Err on the side of Under 16.5 Points in the same game, due to the Knicks' offensive pecking order and past performance against the Pistons. Additionally, the Detroit Pistons' young star, Cade Cunningham, might remind fans of his potential with an Over for Points + Assists in the high range of 37.5, as he has consistently performed well in key situations.
