The Detroit Pistons’ last victory came over the Miami Heat, but now that Cade Cunningham is out, the chances of a repeat have dwindled.
Both teams will be missing key players in tonight’s game, as the Pistons will be without Cunningham (COVID) and Jerami Grant (thumb) and the Heat will be missing both Jimmy Butler and PJ Tucker.
It’s probably not going to be the prettiest game ever played, as the Pistons struggle to score even with their two best players in the lineup, so where their points are going to come from is a mystery to me.
However, there might be some angles for bettors, so if you are a degenerate, read on!
Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat: Odds, spread, over/under
According to WynnBET, the Pistons are 10 point underdogs on the road against the Heat, which seems quite low considering they are missing their two best players.
The Pistons barely beat a shorthanded Miami team when they had Cade, but without him, their chances are grim, which the odds reflect.
The money lines are set at +400 for the Pistons and -500 for the Heat, so the books don’t expect any surprises in this one.
The over/under is 206, about as low as you’re going to see in an NBA game. But the Detroit Pistons will be missing 35 percent of their scoring, so it still might be too high.
Honestly, there is not a good bet here. If I had to bet it I’d probably take Miami with the points, as it’s hard for me to imagine a scenario where the Pistons don’t get blown out on the road.
But who knows, maybe they will rally around their fallen leaders. Maybe. I wouldn’t bet on it, but maybe.
I’d take Miami with the points along with the over, as I think Miami will do enough to cover that spread and over/under even if the Pistons only score 90 points, which is likely.
Pistons vs. Heat: Best daily fantasy bets
Someone is going to have to score with Cade Cunningham and Jerami Grant out and the most likely candidates are Saddiq Bey and Frank Jackson.
Saddiq has had some good games of late and will probably be the beneficiary of a ton more shots in this one. Frank Jackson is so inconsistent, but he is also cheap in daily fantasy and is a guy who could go off for 30 with extended minutes and more shots.
I actually like Killian Hayes in this one (if he plays), as he is going to be the focal point of the offense and should end up with double-digit assists if he can stay in the game.
If you really want to roll the dice, Saben Lee will probably get a lot of looks, so he’d be a decent low-cost play and Hamidou Diallo has been playing well lately, racking up the rebounds and he should again in this one.
How to watch
Are you sure you want to watch this? Think about spending time with your family or maybe writing in your journal, catching a movie or reading a good book instead. If you absolutely must, the game is on at 7:30 PM ET on Bally Sports Detroit or you can listen on 950 AM.