The Detroit Pistons will face off with the Milwaukee Bucks tonight as a part of the 15-game slate. Cade Cunningham and company have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the 2018-19 season and currently are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee is two games ahead of them in the standings with seeds 3-6 still not set in stone. The Bucks will clinch the 5th seed with a victory tonight but these teams will face off again on Sunday adding another layer to this outlook.
Cunningham earned an All-Star appearance for the first time this season and has a strong case for an All-NBA selection, too. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 26 points, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game while getting the job done on the defensive end.
The Pistons are 5.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s matchup and -205 on the moneyline. The Bucks hold +170 odds on the moneyline with the game total set at 230.5.
It is worth noting that Cunningham is battling a left knee injury but is listed as probable tonight. With the stage set, here are my favorite Cunningham prop bets ahead of the Friday night matchup.
Best Cade Cunningham Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Cunningham’s props are listed at over/under 27.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 made three-pointers and 42.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Cade Cunningham Over 8.5 Assists (-145)
While he still operates primarily as a score-first guard, Cade Cunningham has taken some significant strides as a playmaker this season. He is averaging a career-high 9.1 assists and has recorded over 8.5 assists in 41 of 69 games.
Cunningham has a good matchup against the Bucks, who rank 17th in opponents’ points per game and 14th in opponents’ assists allowed. Cunningham has faced the Bucks twice this season recording 11 assists in one game and six in the other.
The All-Star guard recently returned from a six-game injury absence and this will be his fourth game back. He has yet to fully find his footing as a playmaker in the first three games and this is a likely reason why he will suit up tonight. He has produced assist totals of four, five and eight across his three games back.
The overall track record for Cunningham as a playmaker is still too strong for this to be a major concern. Look for him to return to the level he was producing at for the bulk of the season and find his way to at least nine assists tonight. Dating back before his injury absence, Cunningham had tallied over 8.5 assists in 16 of the previous 22 games. Expect the Pistons to take this game seriously as they look to head into the playoffs with momentum. Cunningham is coming off three straight 35+ point performances and is sure to be at the top of the Bucks’ scouting report. Count on the star guard to effectively run the offense and tally over 8.5 assists for the 42nd time this season against a defense that is far from impenetrable.
Cade Cunningham to Record 2+ Steals (+250)
In addition to serving as the engine of the Pistons’ offense, Cunningham has bought in on the defensive side of the ball and been a huge reason for their effective team defense. The Oklahoma State product is averaging 1.0 steals per game and holds -185 odds of recording a steal in tonight’s game on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Milwaukee Bucks are turning the ball over 13.4 times per game this season, so I like Cunningham’s chances of pulling in two steals at +250 odds.
The Pistons guard has tallied as many as five steals in a game this season and has recorded at least two steals in 17 different games. This includes one of the previous matchups against the Bucks.
As is always the case when talking about the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo sets the tone for the offense. Expect Detroit to send multiple defenders at Antetokounmpo to prevent him from getting downhill. He has come a long way as a passer and decision-maker with the ball, but the Greek Freak is still turning the ball over 3.1 times per game which is the eighth-most in the NBA.
Expect Cunningham to have a few chances to intercept Antetokounmpo’s drive and kick attempts. He has active hands, and his willingness to buy in sets the tone for the whole team. This is a risky play as the +250 odds indicate, but Cunningham has shown an ability to generate steals and this is a matchup where these opportunities should occur. Take a chance for him to record a pair of steals at +250 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
