The New York Knicks (33-18) will visit the Detroit Pistons (37-13) at Little Caesars Arena on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. While this matchup between the Eastern Conference’s two best teams could be exciting, the Knicks’ second-leading scorer’s status is up in the air.
C Karl-Anthony Towns suffered an eye injury against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, and it’s unclear whether he’ll miss his first game of the month.
Below, we’ll provide a Karl-Anthony Towns injury update ahead of Knicks vs. Pistons and identify a player worth targeting for your lineup additions if Towns can't play. Additionally, we'll dive into PrizePicks NBA projections and analysis for Friday night.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Injury Update vs. Pistons Tonight
Towns is listed as doubtful for Friday with a right eye laceration. While he is averaging less than 20.0 points per game (19.9) for the first time since his rookie season in 2015-16 and shooting a career-low 46.5% from the field, he’s been a valuable contributor for New York on the glass.
The former Kentucky Wildcat leads the NBA with 11.9 rebounds per game. He’s a big reason why only the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs can top the Knicks’ team total of 46.5 rebounds per contest.
Luckily for New York, it might be able to depend on another talented rebounder to step into the starting lineup.
Who Could Benefit if Towns Doesn't Play vs. Pistons?
C Mitchell Robinson has dominated the offensive glass with limited minutes (19.8 per game) and has a chance to improve upon his average of 9.1 on Friday.
The big man averages an NBA-high 4.8 offensive rebounds per game. He’s averaging 8.4 rebounds in 13 starts but tallied 13 boards against the Orlando Magic in the only game he’s played in without KAT in 2025-26.
Robinson snags a ridiculous 17.3 rebounds per 75 possessions, according to databallr. That places him in the 100th percentile this year, so it’s only natural to wonder if he'll once again be very active in the painted area.
F-G Josh Hart is also an aggressive rebounder worth monitoring, as he’s averaging 7.6 per game. He racked up 17 points with 12 boards in the same Towns-less game earlier this season.
Mitchell Robinson PrizePicks Projections vs. Pistons
Here are the most popular Mitchell Robinson player picks vs. the Pistons tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 9.5 Points
- 4.5 Offensive Rebounds
- 16 Pts + Rebs
- 10 Rebounds
- 10.5 Rebs + Asts
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Make Knicks vs. Pistons Picks on PrizePicks
Karl-Anthony Towns appears unlikely to suit up for Friday’s Knicks-Pistons matchup at Little Caesars Arena, but New York isn’t short on capable rebounders. Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart seem poised to support the visitors’ efforts on the glass in a battle between two Eastern Conference contenders.
No matter how you think Friday’s Knicks vs. Pistons game plays out, you can cash in on your NBA picks on PrizePicks. Just pick your players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if your picks are right. With Team Picks, you can predict game winners, spreads, over/unders, and more — now available in 34 states!
Check out the Playbook throughout the season for more NBA picks, predictions, and news every day through the 2025-26 season.
