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Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards prediction, pick on Thursday 10/16/25

Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards prediction, pick on Thursday 10/16/25

Sports Betting Picks Basketball NBA

Published:

By: Alex Hunter

The Pistons are hosting the Wizards on Thursday, which is the final preseason game for both of these teams. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is favored by 6.5 points and this contest carries a total of 231.5 points.

Pistons vs. Wizards prediction, preview

The Pistons made the playoffs for the first time in six years last season and is looking to build off this in the 2025-26 season. Cade Cunningham is the Pistons’ leader and has improved in each of his four seasons in the NBA. He averaged 26.1 points and 9.1 assists per game last season, resulting in his first All-Star and All-NBA selection.

Cunningham is averaging a league-high 23 points per game in the preseason despite playing just. 18.7 minutes per game. He looks poised for another career season as one of the best guards in the NBA.

The Pistons added Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert this offseason, giving them some veteran depth on the wing. Jaden Ivey (knee) won’t be ready for the start of the regular season, but he should return in the early stages of the season, giving the team a major boost. The Pistons should be one of the top seeds in the East, but they’ve been underwhelming in the preseason. Detroit has a 1-2 record and ranks 22nd in net rating.

On the other side of this matchup, the Wizards are 1-1 this preseason and rank ninth in net rating. While that latter ranking is a positive, Washington is bound for another disappointing season. The Wizards feature two 34-year-old aging veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, and a group young players headlined by Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington, who should improve in their second seasons.

Washington selected Tre Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in this past NBA draft. He has the potential to be a great scorer and should grow into a solid role with Washington. The Wizards rested McCollum, Middleton and Sarr for their last preseason game, but this trio should be available Thursday with this being the team’s final preseason game.

Pistons vs. Wizards pick, best bet

While the Pistons should notch a win on their home floor, the Wizards will put up a fight, assuming McCollum, Middleton and Sarr all play.

Best Bet: Wizards +5.5 (-105)

Alex Hunter
Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player and sports handicapper, who has been a proud member of the DraftKings Network team since 2020. He is a data-driven analyst, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has been in the sports content business for nearly a decade, covering the NBA, NFL and PGA TOUR. Alex is a diehard Boston Celtics fan, who loves to be on the golf course when he isn’t grinding lineups or producing content. For all of Alex’s work or if you need any lineup advice, be sure to follow him @Hunta512 on X.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.