THE Detroit Pistons are on their way to a fourth straight victory as they prepare to take on the Brooklyn fillets at the Barclays Center this Wednesday evening. Detroit, having gained momentum, will look to capitalize on a Nets team struggling with the absence of its two top scorers.
This season’s Pistons have transformed their image from last year’s struggles, now firmly in the playoff conversation. With their recent momentum, they boast a .500 record and are within reach of not only making the play-in tournament, but could potentially land a direct playoff berth, being only half a win away of the coveted sixth place.
The Pistons have demonstrated a balanced approach to the game, consistently ranking in the middle of the table in terms of offensive and defensive ratings, as well as pace of play. Their rebounding power is remarkable, with the team ranking fourth in the league in bounce rate. Their young core is flourishing, led by Cade Cunningham who posts an impressive average of 24.4 points per game, even if he will have to deal with the absence of Jaden Ivey (17.6 ppg) who is on his side following recent surgery for a fractured fibula.
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On the other hand, the Nets face significant challenges heading into this game. Brooklyn will once again be deprived of its two top scorers, Cam Thomas (24.7 points per game) and Cameron Johnson (19.5 points per game) who are injured. The absence of D’Angelo Russell due to a shin injury suffered on Saturday compounds their problems and the availability of the defensive leader Ben Simmons remains doubtful following a calf injury suffered this weekend.
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-This series of setbacks has contributed to the Nets’ poor recent form; they only manage to get two wins in their last nine games, six of which they lost by a margin of nine points or more. Their last four home games ended in failures in handicap coverage, which added to the mounting pressure on the team.
Conversely, the Pistons are on the rise and have triumphed in seven of their last eight games. Although these victories were not all decisive, they covered the handicap in five of these successes, demonstrating their ability to exceed the expectations placed at the start of the season.
The Nets appear to lack not only the scoring ability, but also the defensive resiliency necessary to deal with a Detroit team that is currently operating at capacity. Despite the concerns about the handicap, I think the Pistons will be able to cover it.
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In addition to supporting the Pistons, I bet on the total points. Despite a low-scoring opener earlier in the season, both teams generally favor higher scores, especially the Pistons who have been in high-scoring games recently. It’s also worth noting that nine of the last ten matchups between these franchises have gone over the total.
Finally, an interesting proposition to consider is to bet on Cade Cunningham score at least 25 points. Cunningham has been in great form recently, recording 32 points in each of his last two games, and should find plenty of opportunities against a Nets defense that has struggled to contain opposing scorers.
