Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Friday’s Detroit Pistons at Utah Jazz NBA matchup.
In the late portion of the nine-game NBA slate, the Detroit Pistons will take on the Utah Jazz.
This marks the second matchup between these two cross-conference opponents, each of whom hold very different outlooks for the remainder of the season. The Pistons picked up a 114-103 victory in the first matchup, which took place at the start of November.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Pistons enter as 9.5-point favorites and hold -425 Moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Jazz hold +330 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 244.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Friday night matchup.
Pistons vs. Jazz prediction, preview
Plenty of conversation has been made about how open the Eastern Conference is, but the Detroit Pistons have continually made their case for why they should be viewed as the favorite. They remain at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with a 24-6 record and enter this matchup on a three-game winning streak. Detroit is 17-13 against the spread this season, and the over/under is 15-14-1 in games they have played.
Ron Holland is questionable for the matchup, but the Pistons arrive mostly at full strength. Cade Cunningham headlines the production, looking like an All-NBA caliber talent all year. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 26.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. Jalen Duren has taken a notable leap in his development, posting averages of 18.5 points and 11.1 rebounds. Duncan Robinson has added a necessary level of floor spacing, shooting 38.9% from beyond the three-point arc on a team-high 7.4 perimeter shots per game. Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, and Caris LeVert each play a notable role in the rotation as well.
As a team, the Pistons average 119.2 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. They also rank 10th in offensive rating, 11th in pace, eighth in field goal percentage, 25th in three-point percentage, and second in rebounds per game. Defensively, Detroit is holding opponents to 112.3 points per game. This is the fifth-best mark in the league, and the group also ranks second in defensive rating, second in opponent field goal percentage, seventh in opponent three-point percentage, and sixth in opponent rebounds allowed.
The Utah Jazz have not been shy regarding their intentions to maximize their NBA Draft Lottery odds. But the youthful squad has been more competitive than expected, posting a 10-19 record on the season, which slots them at 12th place in the Western Conference. They have started to return to expectations and enter this matchup on a four-game losing streak. Utah is 16-13 against the spread this season, and the over has hit in 19 of their 29 games.
Lauri Markkanen headlines the production for the Jazz, posting averages of 27.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. Keyonte George has also shown some encouraging signs of development, averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Ace Bailey has had some ups and downs, but the vision for what he can grow into as a basketball player is clear. There have also been some nice flashes from Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier, Walter Clayton Jr, and Brice Sensabaugh.
The Jazz rank seventh in the league in scoring by putting up 119.9 points per game. They rank 15th in offensive rating, fifth in pace, 23rd in field goal percentage, 21st in three-point percentage, second in assists, and sixth in rebounds per game. Defensively, opponents are scoring 127.4 points per game against them, which is the worst rate in the league. Utah ranks 29th in defensive rating, 29th in opponent field goal percentage, and 28th in opponent three-point percentage. The Jazz are also allowing the third-highest shot volume from the perimeter of any team in the NBA.
Pistons vs. Jazz pick, best bet
While the Pistons were able to pick up an 11-point victory in the first matchup between these two teams, it was not as clear of a path as the score suggests. The Jazz led by as many as 12 points, including holding a lead at halftime. Had the Jazz been able to shoot better than 38% from the field or 31% from beyond the three-point arc, Utah very well could have pulled out a win.
But the Pistons were able to assert themselves defensively, holding Utah to just 14 points in the third quarter to take control of this game. Detroit has added more evidence as to why it must be viewed as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference and continues to look like one of the best teams in basketball. In contrast, Utah has begun to be a bit more strategic with their injuries and rotation decisions to ensure their chances at receiving a top pick are as high as possible.
Both teams last played on Tuesday, so there is no rest advantage in either direction. But the Pistons have won seven of their last eight games, with the lone loss in the stretch coming to the Dallas Mavericks in overtime. Three of these wins have also come by double digits.
Expect the Pistons to be prepared to put forth a more complete performance than was the case in the first matchup. They are the better team on both sides of the basketball, and the Jazz will have some real issues putting points on the board against Detroit’s strong defense. In contrast, teams with far less offensive talent than Detroit have had no trouble putting up points against Utah.
The Pistons continue to carry a chip on their shoulder for their lack of buzz, and sometimes the best way to keep earning respect is by winning the games you are supposed to. Count on Detroit to take care of business and put forth a more complete performance than was the case in the first matchup. This game has a chance to get ugly early, so I am backing the Pistons to cover the 9.5-point spread.