Pistons Visit Winless Knicks in NBC National Doubleheader

The Detroit Pistons visit the New York Knicks on Tuesday night in the first game of an NBC national television doubleheader. Detroit enters the matchup as the only team in the Eastern Conference without a loss. The Knicks are 0-3 on the season and aim for their first victory against a team that defeated them in all three regular-season meetings last year.

Detroit will play without All-Star center Jalen Duren, who suffered a right hamstring strain in Friday's win over Miami. Duren, who signed a $200 million contract extension before the season began, is expected to miss at least two weeks. He started the season with 22 points and nine rebounds against Boston but played just 10 minutes in the subsequent game against the Heat.

Guard Cade Cunningham is projected to score at least 20 points in the game. The Pistons won 106-93 in Philadelphia on Sunday without Duren, though the Sixers rested Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe during a back-to-back. Paul Reed saw increased minutes in that game, recording eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocks in 26 minutes.

New York is looking to snap a three-game losing streak that includes a 111-102 home defeat to Orlando on Sunday. The Knicks are the first defending champions to start a season 0-3 since the 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks. A loss on Tuesday would tie the 1969-70 Boston Celtics as the only defending champions to begin a season 0-4.

Jalen Brunson shot 12-for-28 from the field in Sunday's loss, including 1-for-7 from three-point range. Mikal Bridges is averaging 3.3 points per game on 21.7% shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a consistent offensive presence for the team. The Knicks' season win total has dropped from an opening line of 51.5 to 49.5.

Brunson addressed the team's early struggles after Sunday's game, noting that the group sometimes becomes comfortable when they start to look like their past selves. He emphasized the need to continue executing at a high level despite the change in personnel. The Knicks have a healthy roster for Tuesday's contest.

Detroit may also be without guards Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Joe. Thompson, a starter and All-Defensive team member, sat Sunday with an ankle injury. Joe, acquired from Oklahoma City in the offseason, left the Sunday game with a hip contusion. This game concludes a three-game road trip for Detroit and is the first half of a back-to-back schedule.

The Pistons dominated the Knicks in the 2026 regular season, winning all three meetings by double-digit margins. Cunningham averaged 27.3 points and 11.0 assists in those games. Duren missed all three due to injury or suspension. In one of those matchups, Cunningham recorded 40 points and 10 assists at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first player in franchise history to do so.

Coach Mike Brown benched backup center Andre Drummond in the second quarter of Sunday's game after Drummond jogged back on defense. James Wiseman took over the backup center minutes. Drummond was signed in the offseason to replace Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks are healthy and prepared to face a potentially shorthanded Pistons squad.