Preview, odds and predictions
It’s the fourth game in six days for the Indiana Pacers, and it may not be a contest they take seriously. This will be a Group Play game for the NBA In-Season Tournament, but Indiana has already clinched its group, and the Pistons have been eliminated. Will Rick Carlisle practice load management for this Friday evening game? It’s possible.
But even load management and less Pacer talent on the floor may not help Detroit, which has lost 12 consecutive games. This is not how the Monty Williams era was supposed to start: fans and even some hoops experts thought the Pistons might be a playoff contender. Instead, the team is off to the worst 15-game start in several years. Maybe fans should be used to it: Detroit has been 3-12, 4-11, and 3-12 the last three years through 15 games. A 2-13 start is more bad medicine, and basketball fans in the Motor City don’t want to swallow it.
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Friday’s game in Indiana will be a difficult task for the Pistons, who are turning the ball over more than any team in the league. That’s led to five more shots in the paint per game by Detroit’s opponents, and so far the Pistons are being outscored 115.9 to 109.5, the largest point differential in the Association.
Add in the league-high personal fouls that Detroit is committing, and you have a sloppy team that’s not only losing, but losing big early in the season. One of the issues is inconvenient to talk about: team leader and superstar Cade Cunningham is committing nearly five turnovers per game, which leads the league. Considering Cunningham handles the basketball frequently for the offense, the conundrum is obvious: how to keep Cunningham involved (he’s averaging 21.4 PPG) but reduce his ball handling load.
The Pacers are the highest-scoring team in the NBA. Their defense is mediocre however, and that means the Pistons have a chance to fill the net and rack up their share of points on Friday. Whether they can halt their losing skid is another question.
You should see plenty of triples hoisted by Indiana, which means Tyrese Haliburton is likely to get his long-range shots off against the soft Pistons perimeter defense. We like the OVER (3.5) on Haliburton’s made three-pointers at -113 from FanDuel Sportsbook. New users: Bet $5 on any NBA Moneyline with FanDuel and get $150 in Bonus Bets. Plus ALL customers get a profit boost every day.
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- Swishes: 5
- Airballs: 4
- Bankroll: Plus $170
There’s either something wrong in the Pistons locker room or the team is not buying into the new coach and his ways. Monty Williams has already used a heavy hand more than once, and the team has used 16 players already and it’s not December. Recently, Williams juggled his use of Kavin Knox, a journeyman who somehow found his way back to Detroit after being jettisoned last season.
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