Alex Hunter breaks down his analysis, prediction and pick for Thursday’s matchup between the Pistons and the Suns.
The Pistons are hosting the Suns on Thursday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is favored by 7.5 points and this game carries a total of 220.5 points.
Let’s dive into my preview and pick for the game.
Pistons vs. Suns preview, prediction
The Pistons and Suns are two teams that have exceeded expectations this season. Detroit was expected to make a jump, but not this significant, as the club sits atop the Eastern Conference at 28-10 and ranks fourth in net rating. With Kevin Durant traded to the Rockets in the offseason, many didn’t have high hopes for Phoenix, but the club has proved those doubters wrong, sitting seventh in the Western Conference with a 24-16 record and ranking 10th in net rating. Both these clubs hang their hat on the defensive end, with the Pistons ranking second in defensive rating and the Suns ranking seventh.
Cade Cunningham has been removed from the injury report after missing the past two with a wrist injury and the guard is having a career season leading Detroit, averaging 26.7 points, 9.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. At +1600 on DraftKings Sportsbook, Cunningham carries the third-best odds to win MVP and he will be getting some help tonight, as Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip) are both probable after collectively missing the last four. Duren has made a big leap this season, averaging 17.9 PPG after just 11.8 last season and having the center back in the fold is huge for the Pistons, as their net rating is 4.7 points per 100 possessions better with Duren on the floor.
The Suns are lead by Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, who are averaging 25.2 and 21.3 PPG, respectively. Unfortunately, Booker is out tonight with an ankle injury, which is obviously a huge loss for Phoenix. With the guard off the floor this season, the Suns’ net rating is 6.9 points per 100 possessions worse at -1.8 and the team is 1-2 with Booker inactive, with those losses being by 19 points to the Rockets and a whopping 49 points to the Clippers. Brooks is also dealing with an illness which forced him to miss shoot-around this morning, but he is expected to play.
Dillon Brooks not at shootaround due to illness, but is expected to play tonight at Pistons, per Suns. #Suns
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 15, 2026
Brooks will likely lead the Suns in usage with Booker missing, but Brooks being under the weather certainly is worrisome for this tough, road matchup vs. the Pistons. Phoenix has done most of it’s damage at home and the club has been subpar on the road this season with a 10-11 record, whereas Detroit has been tough to beat at home with a 14-4 record. The Pistons also have a big rest advantage, as they haven’t played since this past Saturday, while the Suns just played on Monday.
Pistons vs. Suns pick, best bet
With the Pistons at home, back to full strength and the more rested team, they should care of business tonight vs. the Booker-less Suns.
Detroit -7.5 is a strong wager and attacking this bet quickly is smart, as this line is likely to keep moving towards the Pistons.