After throttling the Clippers on opening night, things have been a little less optimistic for the Jazz. Even following an impressive comeback victory over the Celtics on Monday, Utah has dropped four of its last six games, a span of time where the team has been outscored by 7.3 points per 100 possessions. It looks like Danny Ainge is once again playing for the lottery.
Meanwhile, the Pistons have picked up right where they left off in a breakout 2024-25 campaign, winning five of their first seven contests and sitting in a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit is a massive home favorite on Wednesday. Can it cover? Let’s preview tonight’s matchup with the help of some of some odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Jazz vs. Pistons prediction, preview
The Pistons got thumped by the Cavaliers last week, but it appears that the team has turned the corner since then, collecting wins over the Magic, the Mavericks and the Grizzlies since. As you would expect, it’s been Cade Cunningham leading the way for Detroit, despite some poor shooting from beyond the arc. Cunningham is also getting it done without the services of Jaden Ivey (knee) and Malik Beasley, who ranked second and third on the Pistons in scoring last season. Heck, with Tobias Harris (ankle) also nursing an ailment, Cunningham will have to shoulder quite the load against the Jazz. In Monday’s victory against Memphis — with Harris sidelined — Cunningham dropped a season-high 33 points with a 30.8% usage rate. I’d expect a similar role for the former first-overall pick on Wednesday.
That’s not to suggest that Cunningham is doing this all single-handedly. Jalen Duren finally appears to be taking that next step in his development, as the big man is averaging 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game to start the season. That’s only in 25.3 minutes per contest, too. Duren’s per 36 numbers are off the charts, and if he can start logging around 30 minutes a night, he could be looking at an All-Star nod in the near future. 2024 lottery pick Ron Holland has also been showing flashes in the opening few weeks of 2025-26.
On the other side of this matchup, you’ll find a two-headed monster. Lauri Markkanen is in the second year of a massive $238 million extension, and the man is playing like it. Across his seven starts, a healthy Markkanen is averaging 31.1 points per contest — the fourth-highest mark in the NBA. How long Markkanen remains on the Jazz is always a topic for debate, yet it appears that he and Keyonte George, who ranks top 10 in assists per game (8.1), are a somewhat promising core that the aforementioned Ainge could choose to build around. George registered 31 points in Monday’s win over Boston, though he did miss the game-winning attempt that Jusuf Nurkic eventually tipped in for the victory.
Jazz vs. Pistons pick, best bet
Best Bet: Under 232.5 (-110)
The Pistons have the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA (110.8), while the Jazz sit 24th in offensive rating (112.7). Add in some injuries to Detroit’s top secondary scoring options, and I think this one stays well under the number.
