There are 12 games of NBA action across tonight’s NBA slate. Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET, a battle of Eastern Conference opponents will take place between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. Both these teams have exceeded early expectations and sit in the upper portion of the East. These teams faced off in their first game of the season, which resulted in a 115-11 win by the Bulls.
Looking at the odds for tonight, the Pistons enter as 2.5-point favorites and hold -135 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bulls hold +114 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 235.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.
Bulls at Pistons preview, prediction
The Detroit Pistons are the hottest team in basketball with a 9-2 record on the season and are riding a seven-game winning streak into tonight. Their lone pair of losses came against the Bulls and Cavaliers, and their most recent win streak includes victories over the Magic, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Jazz, Nets, 76ers, and Wizards. Detroit is 7-4 against the spread on the season.
Cade Cunningham has taken the next leap to superstardom and is playing like one of the best players in the NBA. The 24-year-old is averaging 27.5 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game through his opening 11 games played. He is fresh off a historic 46-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist, and five-steal performance against the Wizards. While his efficiency was not ideal, this was a heroic effort of doing whatever it takes to lead the team, and this sums up Cade Cunningham as a player.
It is worth noting that the former number one overall pick is listed as questionable for tonight’s matchup with a hip injury, which stemmed from a hard fall in the previous game. Injuries have been an early concern with this Pistons team. Ausar Thompson has been ruled out for tonight’s game due to an ankle injury already, while Tobias Harris, Marcus Sasser, and Jaden Ivey remain sidelined. Isaiah Stewart is considered doubtful due to his ankle injury, while Jalen Duren also makes an appearance on the injury report with a probable tag due to his own ankle issue. Duren is also in the midst of a breakout season and is posting early averages of 19.4 points and 12.0 rebounds per game with his eye-popping athleticism on full display.
As a team, Detroit ranks 16th in scoring at 116.0 points per game. They are second in the league in rebounds per game, have done a nice job limiting turnovers, and are getting to the free-throw line at the second-highest rate. The Pistons have especially shone defensively. Opponents are scoring just 112.7 points per game against them, which ranks sixth; they are posting the fourth-best defensive rating, and limiting teams to the second-worst field-goal percentage.
The Chicago Bulls got off to a 5-0 start to the season, but are 1-4 since this. They enter this game on a three-game losing streak, which came at the hands of the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Spurs. Chicago produced a 115-111 victory over the Pistons in the season opener, in which they pushed the lead to as many as 23, but Detroit outscored them 32-21 in the fourth quarter to make it competitive. Chicago is 8-2 against the spread on the season.
Josh Giddey has also played his way into a new tier of talent this season and is putting forth the most complete basketball of his career. The former Oklahoma City Thunder standout is averaging 21.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 9.3 assists while shooting a career-best 38.5% on three-point attempts. Giddey is also listed as questionable for this matchup due to an ankle injury and missed the previous game against the Spurs. Zach Collins remains sidelined with a wrist fracture and Coby White has yet to make his season debut due to his calf injury.
Matas Buzelis and Ayo Dosumnu headline a respectable youth core along with Giddy, while Nikola Vucevic continues to average 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in the later stages of his career. Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, and Jalen Smith round out the players averaging in double figures, while Patrick Williams and Isaac Okoro also play roles. The Bulls are averaging 119.2 points as a team, which ranks 13th, and allowing the 20th-most points per game at 118.4 on the year. They rank fourth in assists per game and eighth in rebounds, but opponents are attempting the fifth-most three-pointers per game against them.
Bulls at Pistons prediction, best bet
The injury outlook puts a bit of an asterisk on this matchup, with both Cade Cunningham and Josh Giddey each at the clear center of how their team plays. Keep an eye on the injury report leading up to tip-off and expect some movement in the line if either is to miss.
This is not to say the entire hot start by the Bulls was fraudulent, but it does feel they punched above their weight class to an extent. On the positive side, they have found an identity for their style of play that will continue to be built on. But so have the Detroit Pistons, and expect theirs to have success in this clash of styles.
Chicago prefers to push the pace and get out in transition, while Detroit leans on a defensive-oriented approach. The Bulls pulled off a victory in the first matchup between these two teams. But the Pistons fell behind 35-19 in the first quarter and were unable to fully dig out of this hole. They shot just 29.2% from beyond the three-point line and 69.2% on free-throw attempts while uncharacteristically being outrebounded in the loss.
Expect a more focused effort from the opening tip with these teams currently trending in opposite directions. Chicago lacks the level of shot creators to challenge this strong Detroit defense, and the results will be different in their second matchup of the season. Count on the Pistons to assert themselves defensively and for the Bulls to be unable to overcome this. Look for Detroit to extend its winning streak to eight and cover the 2.5-point spread in tonight’s battle.
