Ryan Cook is back to preview Friday’s NBA playoff slate, starting with Game 3 between the Pistons and the Knicks, before Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers host the Denver Nuggets.
Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks
9:00am, Little Caesars Arena
Even money on offer ahead of Game 3 with the series all square at one win apiece. The Pistons did their best to blow a healthy lead in Game 2 on Tuesday, although, unlike in Game 1, J.B. Bickerstaff’s squad made Jalen Brunson work hard down the stretch, exposing his defensive flaws on the way to a six-point win. The Pistons have been the better team on the glass and from three-point land during the first two games, although they’ve struggled with turnovers in key spots. For New York, it’s become abundantly clear that the Knicks can’t afford for Karl Anthony-Towns to go quiet like he did in Game 2, especially with the Pistons committing to a double-team approach on Brunson. Overall, neither of these two looks overly convincing, but with Detroit hosting its first playoff game since 2019, I think the home crowd could be a big factor here.
Tip: Pistons to Win @ $1.91
Los Angeles Clippers vs Denver Nuggets
12:00pm, Intuit Dome
Potentially the most interesting series of the first round after Kawhi Leonard rewound the clock on Tuesday in what turned out to be an instant classic. The Nuggets won’t lose too much sleep after squandering a chance to tie the game in the dying seconds, especially with the overall stat sheet heavily favouring the 2023 champs. While Ivica Zubac has played well against Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have still won the battle on the boards, while they’ve also been a slightly better shooting team from three. Some more consistent shooting from mid-range would see the Nuggets hard to beat in Game 3, especially if they can start to utilise their size and rely on Russell Westbrook a little more. Unless the Clippers get another huge night from Kawhi, I think the Nuggets take this one as the +5 underdog.
Tip: Nuggets to Cover (+5)