The Indiana Pacers are set to face off against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, as part of their ongoing NBA season. The Pacers, currently at a challenging record of 10-32, recently achieved a notable victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, winning 127-119. This win marked their fourth win in their last five games, with the team expertly covering the spread in each of their victories.
Leading the Pacers in their recent game was center Jay Huff, who turned in an impressive performance, scoring 29 points on 13-of-17 shooting. This surge has improved Indiana’s season performance against the spread to 22-20, demonstrating their capacity to compete despite their overall record.
Conversely, the Pistons, boasting a strong 29-10 record, are coming off a narrow victory over the Phoenix Suns, winning 108-105 but failing to cover the spread as 7.5-point favorites. Guard Duncan Robinson led the Pistons in scoring with 19 points, including four three-pointers. Detroit has also found success recently, winning four of their last five games, although they have encountered a slight struggle against the spread, going just 3-2 in that span.
In terms of betting odds, BetMGM Sportsbook shows the Pistons as heavy favorites with a moneyline of -700, indicating they are expected to win comfortably. Meanwhile, the Pacers stand at +500 with an against-the-spread line of +12.5.
Injury reports suggest that the Pacers will be without key players, including Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Isaiah Jackson (concussion), Bennedict Mathurin (thumb), and Obi Toppin (foot). The Pistons are dealing with uncertainties, including the potential absence of Cade Cunningham (wrist) and Paul Reed (personal), but Ausar Thompson (heel) is expected to play.
Predictions for this matchup favor the Pistons to win by a score of 114 to 106. Despite the odds, the recommendation to bet on the Pacers to cover the +12.5 point spread seems promising, especially given their recent performance. Additionally, given each team’s trends, betting on the game to go under 226.5 points could also be advisable, as both teams have been trending towards lower totals in recent games.
As the Pacers look to continue their upward trajectory, fans can expect a competitive matchup in Detroit, where both teams are striving to solidify their standings in the NBA.