Thunder vs. Pistons NBA expert prediction and odds for Sunday, Jan. 28 (OKC is must b

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the No. 1 team in the Western Conference entering Sunday’s action, and they get to take on the league’s worst team – the Detroit Pistons – in Detroit. 

The Pistons are playing the second game of a back-to-back after losing by 14 to the eight-win Washington Wizards on Saturday. 

That’s led to the Thunder being heavily favored in this matchup, and the team is hoping to cover and pick up a sweat-free victory behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

Even with Cade Cunningham back in action (he’s probable for today’s game as well), the Pistons struggled against Washington. Can they hang around against OKC?

If you’re looking to bet on any game in the NBA tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets.

Here’s a look at the latest odds and my best bet: 

Thunder injury report

Pistons injury report 

Oklahoma City Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Gilgeous-Alexander was named an All-Star starter this past week, and the Thunder guard is well-deserving, averaging 31.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game this season. He now gets a crack at a weak Detroit defense that he scored 32 points against in a win earlier this season. 

Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham: Cade Cunningham returned from a knee injury on Saturday to put up a 20-point, 12-assist double-double in a loss to the Washington Wizards. The former No. 1 overall pick shot just 7-for-17 from the field, but there’s no doubt that he’s Detroit’s top dog when healthy. 

I love the Thunder in this game, even though they are just 7-5 against the spread as road favorites this season. 

Detroit lost by 12 to OKC earlier this season, and the team is in a full spiral right now, struggling to compete in the second half against Washington – especially late in the fourth quarter – on Saturday. 

The Thunder are the No. 2 team in the NBA in terms of net rating, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them blow out Detroit in this game. 

The Pistons are just 3-4 ATS in the second game of a back-to-back, and they’ve covered the spread just nine times in 19 tries as a home dog. The team is losing those games by an average margin of over nine points per game. 

Cunningham certainly gives the Pistons a bigger offensive boost, but the team is still 26th in offensive rating and 29th in defensive rating this season. OKC is in the top five in the league in both of those categories. 

Trust the Thunder in this matinee matchup. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.