The Detroit Pistons aim to pull out of their recent tailspin as they head to the unwelcoming Wells Fargo Center to tip off against the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the fourth meeting between these two teams already this season, with Philadelphia claiming victory in two of the previous three contests. The Sixers are a 7-point favorite in tonight’s game with the total Sportsbook at 222 points.
- Detroit is 0-4 SU and ATS in its last four games (avg. losing margin: 16).
- Detroit is 1-6 SU and ATS in its last seven games vs Philadelphia.
- The total has gone UNDER in four of Philadelphia’s last five games (avg. combined score: 214.0).
Detroit vs Philadelphia Game Center
76ers hold the Best Home Record in the NBA
Philadelphia returns home after splitting a two-game road swing, including a 117-111 triumph over the Pistons in its most recent game, and now begins a three-game stand at home, where it holds a 13-1 record this season. Overall, the 76ers have been Sportsbooks in 10 of their last 13 games with an average winning margin of 9, including going 6-1 at home over that span, with its defeat coming against the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers. This recent run has coincided with the addition of Jimmy Butler, who was acquired from Minnesota in early November and is averaging 21.4 points per game with a career-high shooting percentage of 49.5. Philly is averaging 3.9 more points per game since Butler joined the team, putting up 115.8 in the 12 games following his arrival compared with 111.9 prior to his addition.
Defensively, the 76ers don’t do a great job in transition as they average the fourth-most turnovers per game at 16.1 and are surrendering the sixth-most points off turnovers at 18.4. However, they are allowing the third-fewest three-point attempts since getting Butler, with teams averaging 28 trey attempts per game, two shots down from a season average of 30.2. Lastly, Philadelphia ranks 10th in the Association in contested shots as it is contesting 65.2 shots per game, an average that climbs slightly to 66.1 at home, seventh-best in the league. This defensive mindset has led it to having the third-best opponent field-goal percentage in the NBA at 44.1 percent.
Injuries taking their toll on the Pistons
For the second time this season, Detroit finds itself on an extended losing slide, having already dropped five games in a row in late October into November and now battling a four-game skid. One of the major issues for the Pistons is their play beyond the arc, as they have the second-lowest three-point shooting percentage at just 31.6 percent, although they keep their opponents to a 31.5 trey percentage that is the lowest in the NBA. However, during the Pistons’ current four-game slump, their three-point shooting percentage has plummeted to 24.4, which could be directly related to the loss of Reggie Bullock to an ankle injury.
Detroit is 1-7 SU and ATS this season when Bullock has played less than 10 minutes, including 1-5 SU and ATS in games in which he doesn’t play at all. On defense, the Pistons do a good job limiting their opponents’ offensive boards at just 8.5 per game, which is the fewest in the league and has led to them giving up the fewest second-chance points per game at 10.5. But they allow their foes to have easy looks as they contest just 59.3 shots per game, which is the fourth-fewest in the Association, including a league-worst 56.2 shots on the road.
UNDER trending in tonight’s game
Philadelphia and Detroit have been strong UNDER bets recently, and Sportsbook has tonight’s total Sportsbook at 222 points. The Pistons have gone UNDER in five of their last six games with an average combined score of 210, while the 76ers have gone UNDER in four of their last five games with an average combined score of 214. Detroit is averaging just 104.67 points per game without Reggie Bullock this season, while Philadelphia allows the 10th-fewest points per game at home this season at 107.7. Lastly, this is the highest total set for these two teams over the last 30 contests and in only five of the last 20 meetings has the combined score gone OVER 222 points. Each of the last three games at Wells Fargo Center has gone UNDER with an average combined score of 200.33.
My take on Detroit vs Philadelphia
I like the UNDER 222 points and Philadelphia to cover the 7-point spread, and I like the spread more than the total. The Pistons are just 1-7 SU and ATS this season when Reggie Bullock plays less than 10 minutes, with their lone win coming against Brooklyn in the season-Sportsbook game. Additionally, Detroit is 0-4 SU and ATS in its last four games with an average losing margin of 16, while Philadelphia is 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five games with an average winning margin of 16.25. The 76ers are 13-1 SU and 8-6 ATS at home this season, the best home SU record in the NBA, and they are 6-1 SU and ATS in their last seven vs the Pistons with an average winning margin of 12.5.
