The 2025-26 NBA regular season tipped off last night with a doubleheader, but the real fun begins on Wednesday with 12 games on the schedule. At 8 p.m. EST, the Chicago Bulls host the Detroit Pistons for an Eastern Conference clash. One side made the playoffs last season and hopes to take another step; the other narrowly missed the postseason after a hot second half but looks to pick up where it left off.
Here’s a Pistons vs. Bulls prediction and pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s season opener.
Pistons vs. Bulls prediction, preview
This matchup may not carry top billing tonight, but it’s still one worth tuning into for bettors and fans alike. The Pistons made a push to the playoffs last year behind an All-Star leap for Cade Cunningham, who stepped up as a genuine franchise superstar with 26.1 PPG with 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists a night. Now, he tries to take his game up another notch while the team made some depth moves to switch up surrounding talent. Sharpshooter Duncan Robinson now slots into the starting lineup with Caris LeVert off the bench too. A healthy Ausar Thompson only boosts the defensive outlook for a unit that was already one of the NBA’s best last year, so expect the Pistons to continue locking opponents down on that end with Jalen Duren still at center. The defensive scheme here works, and if/when Jaden Ivey returns, this team can make some noise.
Looking toward the Bulls, this squad lost in the Play-In Tournament last season after a hot second half of the year that saw the roster make strides after trading away Zach LaVine. While Coby White (calf) won’t play and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, Josh Giddey earned an extension as an RFA and Ayo Dosunmu is a very solid guard alongside him in the starting five tonight. Lonzo Ball was swapped for defensive slasher Isaac Okoro over the offseason, and Matas Buzelis feels primed for a possible breakout in his second NBA season. Nikola Vucevic remains the starting center as one of the team’s few veterans and will continue to help power the offense at all three levels. The depth may be tested some, but Chicago has some nice young pieces and will only get better once White returns to the lineup.
Pistons vs. Bulls pick, best bet
The Pistons enter tonight’s contest as -2.5 favorites with -142 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bulls are listed at +120 odds on the Moneyline with a game total of 236.5 points.
Detroit may be on the road tonight, but Cade Cunningham and Co. should handle business to start the new season. The absence of White significantly impacts the outlook for Chicago given that he averaged 20.4 PPG last season and paced the team in scoring after Lavine’s trade, so without the guard active, the lineup does take a hit. Vucevic and Giddey must carry more of the load, but role players have to step up as well. That’s a tough proposition against what was one of the NBA’s best defenses last campaign, not to mention that Detroit has the best player on the floor by far in Cunningham. Okoro may slow him down slightly if he takes that matchup, but the star guard should still start his season on a high note with a standout performance. The Pistons should slow the pace tonight and grind out a win in Chicago.
