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These two teams are extremely similar this year. This Detroit Pistons team has made almost a 180 from where they were last year. The Indiana Pacers are also red hot and have finally found their groove. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Pacers-Pistons prediction and pick.
The Pacers have been playing well recently. Despite losing in their last time out, they have won six of their last seven games and sit at 22-19. They are led by a big three of Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, and Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers are one of the best offenses in the NBA and have the skill to score on any team in the league. This should be an interesting matchup because of how well the Pistons are playing this season.
The Pistons were a disaster last year, but they have looked different. With a 21-19 record, they have won seven of their last eight games. Cade Cunningham has been great, and Jaden Ivey has also stepped up a lot this year.
Cunningham makes this team go, and he will be key in this matchup against the Pacers to go bucket for bucket with them. This is a big game for the Eastern Conference standings as a whole.
Here are the Pacers-Pistons NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pacers-Pistons Odds
Indiana Pacers: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +106
Detroit Pistons: -1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -124
Over: 229.5 (-108)
Under: 229.5 (-112)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Pistons
Time: 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Pacers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pacers' offense is the main reason they are playing so well this year. They are 11th in scoring at 115.3 points per game, fourth in field-goal percentage at 38.9%, and eighth in three-point percentage at 37.3%. Seven different Pacers are averaging greater than double digits, and Pascal Siakam leads the team in scoring with 20 points per game.
Haliburton leads the team in assists at 8.8 per game and should be back in time for this game. Siakam, Haliburton, and Bennedict Mathurin are the pieces that make this offense go, and it helps that Haliburton should be back after dealing with a strained groin. The balance makes this team go on offense, and they should have no issues scoring against the Pistons.
Why the Pistons Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pacers have struggled to find success on defense this year. They are 22nd in scoring defense at 115.2 points per game, 20th in field-goal defense at 47.3%, and 13th in three-point defense at 35.6%.
The front court of Myles Turner and Siakam has been key to some success down low. Siakam leads the team in rebounds with 7.3 per game, while Turner is second with 7.1. Turner also leads the team in blocks with 2.0 per game.
If Haliburton is back, he leads the team in steals, but if he misses one more game, TJ McConnell is next up, with Haliburton having 1.3 and McConnell 1.2, respectively. This is a bad matchup for this defense because they have been unable to slow down anyone all year.
The Pistons' offense was awful last season but has taken a giant leap this year. They are 15th in scoring at 112.4 points per game, 13th from the field at 46.9% from the field, and 11th from behind the arc at 36.9%.
Five Pistons are averaging greater than double digits in scoring. Cade Cunningham has been the best player on offense, scoring 24.5 points per game and leading the team in assists with 9.4 per game.
This offense also relies on Jaden Ivey and Malik Beasley next to Cunningham. They should find enough offense against a defense as bad as the Pacers in this game. The Pistons are balanced and finally have a spark on offense this season.
The defense for the Pistons has taken a step forward after how bad they were last year. They are 16th in points allowed at 113.3 points per game, are 19th in field-goal percentage at 46.9%, and are 29th in three-point percentage at 37.9%. The front court of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart have been great on defense down low.
Duren leads the team in rebounding with 9.4 per game, while Stewart leads the team in blocks at 1.3 per game. Two players also average at least 1.0 steals per game with Ausar Thompson leading the team with 1.6 per game. The Pistons' defense has taken a massive step forward, but this is a bad matchup against an offense as good as the Pacers.
Final Pacers-Pistons Prediction & Pick
These two teams are playing very similarly, but the Pistons are the pick in this game. They are the better all-around team. You can rely on their offense and defense in this game, and you can't 100% for the Pacers. The Pacers also have a big question mark surrounding Haliburton and his health. The Pistons win and cover in this game.
Final Pacers-Pistons Prediction & Pick: Detroit Pistons -1.5 (-115)
