The Detroit Pistons visit Indianapolis to take on the Indiana Pacers on Thursday evening. Indiana is on the second night of a back-to-back following a road tilt against Milwaukee on Wednesday. Detroit is 4-22 and just 2-11 on the road in 2021-22. Jerami Grant (thumb) and Kelly Olynyk (knee) are out for Detroit, with Indiana missing T.J. McConnell (wrist) and T.J. Warren (foot).
Caesars Sportsbook lists Indiana as a 10-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 209.5 in the latest odds. Before locking in any Pacers vs. Pistons picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 9 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 44-20 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Pistons vs. Pacers and just locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Pacers vs. Pistons:
- Pistons vs. Pacers spread: Pacers -10
- Pistons vs. Pacers over-under: 209.5 points
- Pistons vs. Pacers money line: Pacers -550, Pistons +400
- DET: The Pistons are 6-7 against the spread in road games
- IND: The Pacers are 9-6-1 against the spread in home games
Why the Pistons can cover
Detroit's overall production has not been excellent this season, and that shows up in the team's record. However, rookie standout Cade Cunningham is flashing signs of stardom. Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, is averaging 22.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the last six games, and he is burying more than 52 percent of his three-point attempts.
As a team, Detroit is excellent in generating trips to the free throw line, averaging 21.3 attempts per game to rank in the top five of the NBA. The Pistons are also making 78.7 percent of those shots, and Detroit may also have a path to defensive success against Indiana. The Pacers are below-average in three-point shooting and free throw creation this season, and the Pistons are elite in creating turnovers. Opponents are committing 16.0 turnovers per game against Detroit, the third-highest mark in the NBA this season.
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana is playing quite well in key areas. The Pacers are in the top eight of the NBA in both 2-point accuracy and offensive rebound rate, with the Pistons sporting a bottom-tier defense. Detroit is last in the NBA in field-goal percentage allowed and second-worst in 3-point percentage allowed this season. On the opposite end, Indiana ranks in the top five in blocked shots, assists allowed and three-pointers allowed, with opponents making fewer than 11 triples per game against the Pacers.
Indiana is excellent on the defensive glass, securing approximately 74 percent of missed shots, and the Pistons are scoring only 100.4 points per 100 possessions. Detroit is in the bottom five of the NBA in offensive rating, 2-point shooting, 3-point shooting, assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, which further bolsters Indiana's defensive standing in this matchup.
How to make Pistons vs. Pacers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total as the teams combine for 209 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Pacers vs. Pistons? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.