The Detroit Pistons (16-59) visit the Oklahoma City Thunder (37-39) on Wednesday night! Action tips off at 8:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Pistons-Thunder prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Pistons-Thunder NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pistons-Thunder Odds
Detroit Pistons: +9.5 (-108)
Oklahoma City Thunder: -9.5 (-112)
Over: 228.5 (-110)
Under: 228.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pistons vs. Thunder
TV: Bally Detroit, Bally Oklahoma
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pistons Could Cover The Spread
Last 10 & Standing: 1-9 (15th in the East)
ATS Record: 31-41-3 (43%)
Over Record: 36-38-1 (49%)
Detroit enters tonight's game losers of six straight games. They've won just a single game since February 10th, going 1-17 over that span and losing nine of those games by double-digits. That being said, the Pistons did get the best of the Thunder early in the season thanks to a 112-103 victory. However, Detroit is in a vastly different position now and is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
If the Pistons are going to cover as double-digit underdogs they are going to have to find ways to score. Since the All-Star break. Detroit ranks last in the league with 105.1 PPG. That has been a season-long issue as the Pistons lack consistent scorers. That being said, the Pistons showed signs of life in their most recent outing as they dropped 117 points on the Bucks' top-ranked defense. Detroit could find a lot of success on the offensive glass where they rank 10th in offensive rebound rate. Oklahoma City allows the most offensive rebounds per game – setting the Piston big men up for a strong night on the glass. Detroit has been solid on defense since the All-Star break, ranking in the top half of the league in points allowed.
For Detroit to cover tonight they're going to need rookie Jaden Ivey to build off his most recent performance. The No. 5 overall pick had arguably the best game of his rookie campaign when he scored 32 points and dished out eight assists against the Bucks. Ivey has really started to take off in the closing weeks of the season and is averaging 18.8 PPG and 6.4 APG over his last five outings.
In addition to Ivey needing to play well on the perimeter, both Marvin Bagley and James Wiseman could make a huge impact down low considering Oklahoma City's lack of size. Both former top-five picks have found solid roles in Detroit as they look to rehabilitate their careers. Over their last five games, Bagley averaged 18.8 PPG and 7.3 RPG whereas Wiseman averaged 14 PPG and 7.4 RPG.
Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread
Last 10 & Standing: 6-4 (10th in the West)
ATS Record: 43-30-3 (59%)
Over Record: 44-32 (58%)
Oklahoma City continues to be one of the best stories in the league as the young Thunder are in a strong spot to make the play-in tournament. The Thunder may have lost three of their last four games but they still hold a 0.5-game lead over the 11th-place Mavericks. Although Oklahoma City did drop the previous matchup with Detroit, the Thunder rotation looks a lot different now and the Pistons have lost a number of key players.
The Thunder feature one of the most explosive offenses in the league as they rank fifth with 117.6 PPG. Despite not having a dominant big man, Oklahoma City does a majority of their damage in the paint with the third most points in the paint per game. Their lack of bigs does hurt them on the glass and they notably got out-rebounded 52-39 in last night's upset loss. While they aren't a particularly strong defensive team, the Thunder do generate a ton of extra possessions thanks to their work in the passing lanes. Oklahoma City forces 16.9 turnovers per game which lead the league. Considering Detroit turns the ball over the sixth-most times per game, look for the Thunder to wreak havoc.
The Thunder will again be without leading scorer Shai Gilegous-Alexander tonight. That being said if last night is any indication they have plenty of offensive firepower to replace his production. The Thunder had three players eclipse the 30-point mark in their loss to Charlotte. Consequently, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey had 31 and Isiah Joe dropped 33. That was just the culmination of what has been an excellent second half for Giddey and Williams. Since the All-Star break, Williams averaged 19.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG while Giddey averaged 17.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 6.9 APG.
Final Pistons-Thunder Prediction & Pick
Oklahoma City just gave up over 130 points to the lowly Hornets. With such a quick turnaround, look for minimal defense tonight in what should be a shootout.
Final Pistons-Thunder Prediction & Pick: Over 228.5 (-110)
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