The Detroit Pistons (11-32) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (24-15) on Tuesday night. Action tips off at 7:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Pistons-76ers prediction and pick.
Detroit has lost three of its last four games and remains in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons covered 48% of their games while 60% went over the projected point total. Philadelphia has won four of its last five games and sits in fifth place in the East. The 76ers covered 58% of their games while 59% went over. This will be the third and final meeting between the two teams. Philly has taken each of the first two meetings by double-digits.
Here are the Pistons-76ers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pistons-76ers Odds
Detroit Pistons: +12.5 (-112)
Philadelphia 76ers: -12.5 (-108)
Over: 227 (-110)
Under: 227 (-110)
How To Watch Pistons vs. 76ers
TV: NBCS Philadelphia, Bally Detroit
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pistons Could Cover The Spread
If the Pistons want to cover a hefty road spread without their leading scorer, they are going to need to dominate the glass. With one of the worst records in the league, the Pistons have not done much well on the court this season. However, the one area they are around league average is rebounding. The Pistons rank a respectable eighth in rebounds per game (52.5 RPG) and are 12th in offensive rebounding (11.3 ORPG). That bodes well for their matchup tonight given Philly's struggles on the glass. The 76ers rank 29th in rebounding (47.6 RPG) and will be without starting center Joel Embiid.
For Detroit to dominate the glass they are going to need a big game from center Isaiah Stewart. Stewart ranks second on the team with 7.9 RPG despite playing just 28.5 minutes per game. He'll likely be in for an expanded role with backup Jalen Duren out and he is coming off one of his best games of the season. In Sunday's loss to the 76ers, Stewert scored 20 points and pulled down a season-high 13 rebounds. The young big man has already shown the ability to excel against the 76ers and any potential cover will start with his work down low.
Regardless of what they do on the glass, the Pistons are going to need to score. They will be without leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic and thus will need to rely on their pair of young guards, Killian Hayes and Jaden Ivey, to carry the load. Ivey is the team's leading healthy scorer (14.9 PPG) but it is his backcourt mate who could really factor in tonight. Hayes hasn't yet realized his potential after being drafted seventh overall in 2020 but has been playing very well of late. Over his last five games, Hayes has averaged 17.7 PPG and 8.7 APG. He's been a menace defensively as well, racking up three steals per game. Whether or not Hayes has turned a corner remains to be seen. Tonight, at least, he should be in for a big night after he posted a 26-point, six-assist performance against these very 76ers on Sunday.
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
While the 76ers will again be without star Joel Embiid, they have an excellent chance to cover again against a Detroit team they just beat by 12 points. Despite the team shooting just 30% from beyond the arc, the 76ers were able to handle the Pistons thanks to their strong defense. Philly forced 23 turnovers in the win and did a great job managing the glass despite their center being out. That defense has been their calling card all season as they rank third in points allowed (109.2 Opp. PPG) and have forced the fifth-most turnovers (15.9 Opp. TOPG).
For as good as their defense was on Sunday, James Harden stole the headlines with his performance. Harden racked up a triple-double, scoring 20 points, dishing out 11 assists, and pulling down 10 rebounds. Harden is a big reason why the 76ers are 4-2 when Embiid sits and Harden plays. He's averaged 20.2 PPG, 10.2 APG, and 6.7 RPG without his star big man this season. Obviously, the team is much better when Embiid is available, but 76ers backers should have confidence in their ability to cover tonight given how well Harden has played as the primary option.
For as good as Harden was, the reemergence of guard Tyrese Maxey on Sunday bodes well for their chances of covering again tonight. Maxey missed significant time with an injury but had his best game since returning against the Pistons. He scored 23 points (8-18 shooting) and was a team-best +19.
Final Pistons-76ers Prediction & Pick
With both teams missing their leading scorers and struggling to score regardless, I like the under here in what should be a low-scoring affair.
Final Pistons-76ers Prediction & Pick: Under 227 (-110)
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