The Detroit Pistons head to Amway Center in Orlando on Sunday night to open a two-game series against the Orlando Magic, so here’s the best betting pick for their opening clash along with the latest odds on PointsBet Sportsbook.
The Pistons are coming to Florida as 2-point underdogs with a total of 210.5 points. They are missing Killian Hayes and Blake Griffin, while Delon Wright is listed as doubtful to play due to a groin injury. On the other side, Orlando cannot count on Cole Anthony, Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz, and Jonathan Isaac.
Detroit dropped two straight at the start of a five-game road trip
The Detroit Pistons (8-21; 14-12-3 ATS) won three of their four games last week but couldn’t continue with a strong performance in Week 9, suffering a couple of losses at Chicago 105-102 and Memphis 109-95. After dropping 43 points on the Bulls, Jerami Grant went 5-for-20 from the field in Memphis and finished with just 16 points, three dimes, and a couple of rebounds.
The Pistons made just 41.9% of their field goals against the Grizzlies. They handed out 27 assists but also committed a whopping 21 turnovers while surrendering 66 points in the paint.
Detroit continues to struggle offensively, scoring 108.4 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the NBA) on 43.7% shooting from the field (29th) and 35.2% from beyond the 3-point line (25th). The Pistons surrender 112.7 points in a return (21st) on 48.3% shooting from the field (28th) and 38.0% from downtown (23rd).
Orlando outlasted the Warriors for its second straight win
The Orlando Magic (12-18; 14-16 ATS) have been a disaster for most of the season, but they’ve improved over the last ten days, going 3-1 straight up and ATS through their previous four outings. The Magic are coming off a 124-120 home victory over the Golden State Warriors this past Friday, and Nikola Vucevic had another tremendous game.
Vuc posted his first triple-double of the season, racking up 30 points, 16 rebounds, and ten assists. Orlando overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit after leading by 15 with nine minutes left in the third period.
Nikola Vucevic is having a wonderful season, averaging 23.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. However, the Magic rank 27th in the NBA in points scored per 100 possessions (106.2) and 30th in field goals percentage (43.2%). They allow 112.0 points per 100 possessions (17th) on 47.0% shooting from the field (18th).
Trends:
Detroit:
- 2-5-3 ATS in the last ten road contests
Orlando:
- 4-1 ATS in the last five games overall
The Magic are slight favorites on the home court, and I cannot miss the chance to get them with just two points on the table. Let’s make this clear, both Orlando and Detroit are bad, short-handed teams, so everything is possible Sunday at Amway Center.
Still, I would rely on Nikola Vucevic to put on another strong performance and carry the Magic on his back. Also, Delon Wright’s eventual absence would be a huge blow for the Pistons’ offense, and I think the visitors won’t take any risks with his groin injury.
Pick: Take Orlando -2.0 at -110
The Total:
While the Magic sit bottom of the league when it comes to field goal percentage, the Pistons are right above them. Both teams have struggled mightily on the offensive end thus far, so I’m betting on the under.
Furthermore, the Pistons average just 97.7 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in the league) and will probably miss their starting PG Delon Wright. On the other side, Orlando records 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (17th).
The under is 4-1 in Detroit’s last five games overall, and it is 5-2 in Orlando’s previous seven games overall.
Pick: Go under 210.5 points at -110
