The Detroit Pistons will face a tough test tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, though they have lost three in a row.
It won’t be an easy task, as the Cavs present matchup problems for the Pistons when Detroit is at full strength and they could be missing Tobias Harris tonight, making it even worse.
For most of the season, Cade Cunningham would be the only Pistons player you’d put a bet on, but because of Harris’ potential absence, another guy stands out as a good bet against the Cavaliers.
Harris is only listed as questionable, so he might suit up tonight, and given his record of availability, I wouldn't be surprised if he did, even though he did get popped in the face against the Magic and had to leave the game.
If Harris is out, bet big on Ausar Thompson.
Ausar Thompson bets vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
There are a couple of reasons I like Thompson tonight, the first being that he played 29 minutes in the last game (most of the season) and said he is ready to take on more, which is a great sign that he’s close to 100 percent.
If Harris is out, the Pistons will need Thompson to play more, so we may see him crack the 30-minute mark for the first time this season. Thompson averaged 8.5 rebounds per game in the 20 games in which he played 30+ minutes last season.
Thompson has averaged eight points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four career games against Cleveland and could best those numbers tonight in increased minutes.
Harris also grabs over six rebounds per game for the Pistons, so there will be boards available for Ausar, especially if he plays some minutes at the four, which he likely will if Harris doesn’t play.
Given that, here are three bets I like for Ausar Thompson tonight, with odds provided by FanDuel:
-Thompson to record 6+ rebounds: +105
-Thompson to record 8+ rebounds: +320
-Thompson to record a double/double: +1000
Thompson’s rebounding numbers have been down this season, mostly because he’s been playing six fewer minutes per game than he did as a rookie.
With increased minutes tonight, as well as more usage down low on defense, we could see Thompson break out on the boards tonight, which is why I like all three of those bets given the odds.
Of course, any bet is a risk, so always use your head and always check the injury report before the game, as it’s possible Harris will play, which would make these bets less of a value.