Sean Barnard gives his breakdown and pick for Friday’s NBA matchup between the Detroit Pistons vs. the Golden State Warriors.

Closing down Friday’s nine-game NBA slate, the Golden State Warriors will host the Detroit Pistons.

This marks the first of two matchups between the inter-conference opponents. They hold very different outlooks this season, as the Pistons sit atop the Eastern Conference and have solidified their place as legitimate title contenders. Meanwhile, the Warriors have slipped to eighth in the West and are reeling following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury.

The Warriors are narrow 2.5-point favorites with -135 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pistons sit as +114 underdogs, with the game total set at 224.5 points.

Let’s dive into a preview and prediction for the Friday Night NBA finale.

Pistons at Warriors Preview

The Pistons catapulted forward last season, going from 14 wins in their previous campaign to 44 wins in 2024-25. They have proven this was no fluke and are off to a 34-12 start this season, sitting atop the Eastern Conference. Detroit is looking to bounce back from Thursday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, but has won six of its last eight. The Pistons are 23-23 against the spread, owning a 19-26-1 record for the over/under.

Cade Cunningham headlines the production for Detroit and was recently named an All-Star starter. The former first overall pick is averaging 25.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, while leading the NBA with 9.7 assists per game. Jalen Duren has taken a massive leap in his development, adding 17.9 points and 10.6 rebounds. Duncan Robinson is the team’s top sharpshooter, while Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, Ronald Holland II, and Isaiah Stewart play key roles in the rotation.

The Pistons sit just outside the NBA’s top ten in scoring, while ranking 12th in offensive rating, sixth in field-goal percentage, and seventh in rebounds per game. Defensively, they’re holding teams to the fourth-fewest points and rank second in defensive rating — while leading the NBA in blocks and steals.

However, Detroit’s playing the second night of a back-to-back, so keep an eye out for late additions to the injury report.

The Warriors hold a 27-22 record on the season, occupying the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They are coming off a Wednesday win in Utah, but have posted a 2-3 record since Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending knee injury. Golden State is 24-25 against the spread and has cleared the over in 29 of 49 games so far.

Jonathan Kuminga and Seth Curry will also join Butler on the sidelines for Friday’s contest.

Golden State is scrambling to capitalize on the fleeting championship window for Stephen Curry. Even at 37, Curry is still one of the top players in the league and strikes fear into opponents on a nightly basis. The recently-named All-Star starter is averaging 27.3 points and 4.9 assists per game this season. Outside of Curry, Brandin Podziemski is the team’s next leading scorer at 12.2 points a night. Draymond Green, Buddy Hield, DeAnthony Melton, Pat Spencer, and Quenten Post round out most of their notable rotation.

The Warriors rank 16th in scoring, 13th in offensive rating, and 22nd in field-goal percentage — though they still lead the NBA in threes per game. On the other end, Golden State allows the 10th-fewest points per game and sits just outside the league’s top five in defensive rating.

Pistons at Warriors Prediction, Pick

The Pistons are looking to bounce back from last night’s 114-96 loss to the Suns, one of the rare times this season they have looked a bit flat. Phoenix out-rebounded Detroit, 47-37, and never looked back after taking an early lead, inflating the cushion to as many as 21 points.

If one thing’s for certain with the Pistons, they play with admirable resiliency and often outwork their opponents. Don’t expect an uninspired performance two nights in a row.

Detroit should have a clear advantage on the boards against Golden State, ranking third in rebounds per game compared to the Warriors at 23rd. Expect Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart to dominate the boards against Draymond Green, Quentin Post, and Gui Santos.

Detroit has successfully slowed down opposing offenses all season, and it should do the same on Friday night. While Curry remains an elite offensive engine, the Warriors lack consistent production around him, especially since Butler’s injury. Expect the Pistons to throw multiple bodies at him and tenaciously fight through screens in an effort to contain the NBA’s all-time threes leader.

Keep an eye on the injury report to see how Detroit handles the second night of its back-to-back. But unless this becomes a “scheduled loss” with several key absences, this should be a winnable matchup for the Eastern Conference leaders. Expect the Pistons to set the tone with their physicality and create a steady flow of buckets inside. Back Detroit to capitalize against Golden State’s aging and understaffed roster and produce an upset in enemy territory.

Best Bet: Pistons Moneyline (+114)