The Detroit Pistons will continue their road trip across the West Coast with a contest against the Phoenix Suns at 9 p.m. EST on Thursday. At the start of the season, fans everywhere probably wrote this game off as a meaningless game between a decent, if unspectacular, team and a terrible one. Now, it looks like a premier matchup, with the Pistons holding a 34-11 record while the Suns are 28-19. NBA fans everywhere should be excited for a game that promises to be gritty, physical, and intensely competitive throughout.
The backbone of Detroit’s record has been the team’s defense. The Pistons rank second in defensive efficiency in the NBA, behind only the vaunted Oklahoma City Thunder. Forward Ausar Thompson continues to grow into his role as a lockdown defender, and center Jalen Duren has emerged as an excellent rim protector. Offensively, guard Cade Cunningham has proven his ability to do everything an NBA superstar can do, consistently scoring in isolation and freeing up open looks for his teammates. A date with a shockingly tough Phoenix defense should give Cunningham and the offense one of its best tests of the year.
While the Pistons have Thompson, Duren, and Cunningham, the Suns have their own slightly worse versions of each player. Forward Dillon Brooks consistently guards the opposing team’s best player effectively, providing the team with an identity and a spark on defense. Center Mark Williams is not quite at Duren’s level but has proven himself to be an effective pick-and-roll player with a penchant for offensive rebounding. Finally, guard Devin Booker is head coach Jordan Ott’s go-to guy when he needs a bucket, much like Cunningham is for the Pistons. In some ways, this is a mirror match, adding even more intrigue to this contest.
Pistons -4.5 (-104)Suns +4.5 (-104)Over 214.5 (-104)Under 214.5 (-104)
Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 29, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
Pistons vs Suns Betting TrendsThe Pistons are 23-22 ATS this year.The Pistons are 6-11 ATS as road favorites.The under is 25-19-1 in Detroit’s games.The Suns are 15-6 ATS when they play at home.The Suns are 15-10 ATS as underdogs.The under is 28-19 in Phoenix’s games.Pistons vs Suns Injury ReportsDevin Booker, G – Out.Jalen Green, G – Questionable.Collin Gillespie, G – Questionable.Isaiah Livers, F – Questionable.Pistons vs Suns Prediction and Pick
Phoenix’s ability to score consistently is in major question in this game. Booker has already been ruled out, and with both Green and Gillespie questionable, it is entirely possible that the Suns are left without a facilitator on offense. The Pistons are almost entirely healthy, but they just allowed a similarly hobbled Denver Nuggets team to take them down to the wire. The injuries make the spreads exceedingly difficult to work with, but the under looks promising. Even without their scorers, the Suns will give their all on defense, and that should keep things low-scoring throughout.