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The Detroit Pistons travel to Beantown to take on the Boston Celtics on Friday Night! It's time to continue our NBA odd series with a Pistons-Celtics prediction and pick.
This is the fourth and final matchup between the Pistons and the Celtics. So far this season, the Celtics have won two of the three games, with each winning on the road. The Celtics won both road games by nine points while losing the home game on a Jerami Grant game-winner with less than just over 19 seconds left. Now Boston gets another chance to right the ship, as they host Detroit to close the season series, looking to build momentum for the playoff race, and chase the Chicago Bulls for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics have won four in a row as Jayson Tatum has powered them through these victories. In their most recent game, a 115-101 road win over the Charlotte Hornets, Tatum led the way with 44 points on 16 for 24 shooting. He also added five rebounds and three assists to the tally. In the past three games, Tatum has scored a franchise-record 135 games total, averaging a spectacular 45 points per game in that stretch.
All the starters from the Celtics scored in double figures on Wednesday. Al Horford contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Robert Williams III had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown chipped in 15 points with five rebounds and five assists, and Marcus Smart put up 12 points with three rebounds and nine assists.
The Pistons are coming off a 114-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. Cade Cunningham led the way with 22 points. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak, and the Pistons look to get back to winning as they head into the TD Garden.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Pistons-Celtics odds:
NBA Odds: Pistons-Celtics Odds
Detroit Pistons: +13.5 (-108)
Boston Celtics: -13.5 (-112)
Over: 215 (-110)
Under: 215 (-110)
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Why The Pistons Could Cover the Spread
The Pistons are the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference, but they also have hung around with the Celtics. In their 112-111 win over the Celtics on February 16th, they were able to come from behind to secure the win behind a great three-point shooting night, as they made 53.3 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. It also helped that they dominated the boards, winning the rebound battle 47 to 30. The most important thing they did was keep Tatum in check. Tatum only scored 22 points, on 7 for 15 shooting. Because of Detroit's ability to prevent him from doing any damage, they gave themselves a better chance to win.
Grant leads the Pistons in scoring, averaging 18.9 points per game. Isaiah Stewart is their rebounding leader, pulling down a mark of 8.5 boards per game. Cunningham paces them up the court with 5.2 assists per game.
The key to the Pistons covering the spread is winning the battle of the boards and stopping Tatum from hurting them. That is not an easy task, but something they have accomplished at least once this season.
Why the Celtics Could Cover The Spread
The Celtics have been on fire lately, as indicated by their four-game winning streak. Tatum has been the force that has propelled them, and the reason they are not just winning games but dominating them. It all starts with him, as he is putting up 26.8 points per game, leading the squad on a nightly basis. There is plenty of support around him, as Williams has brought down 9.8 rebounds per game. Smart is distributing the rock efficiently, putting up 5.6 assists per game.
The key for the Celtics winning is controlling the battle on the boards and getting to the line. They currently rank third in the NBA in rebounding, and second in free throw percentage, so second-chance opportunities and hitting the chances at the charity strike are a must. If Tatum can get going, the Celtics have a chance to clamp down on the Pistons.
Final Pistons-Celtics Prediction & Pick
It is incredibly tempting to just take the Celtics and the spread. They are the superior team on paper, and should ideally blow out Detroit. However, in their last 10 home games against the Pistons, they have gone just 5-5, including three in a row at the Garden. They have also only covered the spread one time in those games. Couple that with the fact that the Pistons have played them hard in every game, and it could be the makings of another close game. While I could see the Celtics winning this game, I am not confident they will cover the spread, or blow out the Pistons.
Final Pistons-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Detroit Pistons: +13.5 (-106)
