Pistons 1Q +2.5 (-113 @FanDuel)
While I fully expect the Knicks to win this game, Detroit has been a 1Q covering machine all season. The Pistons finished the regular season with the 7th-best 1Q ATS record at 44-38 and a top 5 1Q ATS record on the road at 25-16. Conversely, the Knicks were the second-worst 1Q ATS team on the season with a dreadful 35-47 ATS record in the opening period. The Pistons average a solid 30.1 first-quarter points on the road, outpacing the Knicks’ 29-point average at home. Detroit has been a scrappy team all year. Expect them to come out hot and surprise the Knicks early at MSG.Â