The Detroit Pistons will take on the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Pistons-Heat prediction and pick.
These teams have had vastly different seasons. The Pistons are sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference with an 18-50 record, a mark that is the second-worst in the NBA. Detroit has been rebuilding for years now, and this season is no different.
Meanwhile, the Heat are having an amazing year. Head coach Erik Spoelstra's team has earned the first seed in the East so far with a 45-24 record, despite a number of crucial health issues. Miami will look to continue its success in this matchup with one of the least talented teams in the league.
Here are the Pistons-Heat NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pistons-Heat Odds
Detroit Pistons: +13 (-110)
Miami Heat: -13 (-110)
Over: 215 (-108)
Under: 215 (-112)
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Why The Pistons Could Cover The Spread
Despite what their terrible record indicates, the Pistons have been playing pretty solid basketball lately. They're 3-3 in their last six games, with wins over the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors. All three of their losses have been fairly close, and they came against the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Clippers. All three of those teams are postseason-bound, making those losses even more impressive. This spread may be too big for a Pistons team that has been hanging tough with good opponents lately.
Surprisingly, Detroit has been pretty good at covering the spread. The Pistons have earned a 35-31-2 record ATS, one of the better numbers in the league. They've also gone 4-1 against the spread in their last five games with spreads similar to this one. The Heat have also been good against the spread, but not in games like this one. Miami is 14-15 as a home favorite, and a mere 25-23-1 as a favorite overall. This isn't the worst spot to pick Detroit.
Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread
Miami has nearly every statistical edge in this game, and that will be highlighted by their defensive play. Unsurprisingly, the Heat have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They only allow 104 points per game while holding their opponents to 44% shooting from the field, one of the best numbers in the league. The Pistons are one of the worst offensive units in basketball, scoring only 103 points per game on terrible shooting numbers. The Heat won't have any trouble defensively here.
The Pistons will likely be playing this game shorthanded. Starting shooting guard Cade Cunningham is questionable because of an illness, and key backups Frank Jackson and Hamidou Diallo have both been ruled out of this contest. That means the Pistons will be forced to play guys like Isaiah Livers and Corey Joseph for extended minutes because of their lack of depth. That's not exactly a formula for success against the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Final Pistons-Heat Prediction & Pick
The spread is big, but it's still impossible to trust the Pistons here. They'll be missing too many key players to cover in this matchup. Take the Heat to win in what should be a blowout as they look to extend their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Final Pistons-Heat Pick: Miami Heat: -13 (-110)
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