Brendan O’Sullivan dives into his pick and prediction for the Detroit Pistons vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
The Pistons and Pelicans matchup up for the second time this season, with Detroit winning the first round in January.
New Orleans is on a two-game losing streak after winning five of its last six. Detroit lost to Atlanta in overtime last night
The Pistons are 3.5-point favorites and -180 on the moneyline, while the Pelicans are +150 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 226.5 points.
Here’s a preview, prediction and pick for Thursday’s Pistons vs. Pelicans matchup.
Pistons vs. Pelicans prediction, preview
The Pistons built a four-game lead atop the Eastern Conference, giving them some cushion while Cade Cunningham recovers from his injury. He last played on March 17 against the Wizards and is set to be re-evaluated in one week.
Detroit has played well in its star’s absence, winning three of four games, including one against the Los Angeles Lakers. Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins have been instrumental in keeping the team from falling in the standings. They’re a major reason why the Pistons are 3.5-point favorites in this game.
Home-court advantage helps, too, as Detroit is 27-9 at home. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 9-26 on the road. Despite the record disparity, New Orleans is playing well lately. Prior to its two-game losing streak, the team won five of six games. Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray and Saddiq Bey have played key roles over this stretch.
New Orleans has the 10th best defensive rating and 14th best offensive rating over the last five games. That’s a jump from its season ranking of 24th defensive and 20th offensive rating. The play has improved, but most of the team’s recent wins are against weaker opponents. The five most recent wins are against the Clippers twice, Wizards, Raptors and Mavericks.
The Pistons are 11th in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating over their last five games. It’s a slight dip from their season rankings of ninth and second, respectively, but that’s expected considering Cunningham is sidelined. It’s still a great set of ratings, but the recent schedule has also been lackluster. Detroit has beaten the Wizards twice, Warriors and Lakers without Cunningham.
Pistons vs. Pelicans pick, best bet
The Pelicans are playing better and Cunningham is out. That could be an argument for New Orleans to win or cover the +3.5 spread. However, that’s not going to happen.
The Pistons have built a contender that isn’t contingent on Cunningham’s health. Sure, they won’t win a title without him, but they can win games without their star. The teams have been weaker opponents—aside from the Lakers—but so have the Pelicans’ recent matchups.
The better team is favored at home. Pistons will cover the -3.5 spread.
Best bet: Detroit Pistons -3.5 (-115)