Polar opposites in the Eastern Conference standings collide Monday night as the Detroit Pistons host the Indiana Pacers at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons (11–2) are riding a nine-game winning streak that’s propelled them to the top seed in the East. The Pacers (1–12), meanwhile, have been unrecognizable from the conference champs of last season, losers of seven straight and tied for last place.
Looking at the injury report, Jalen Duren is listed as probable for Detroit, while Cade Cunningham (hip) and Ausar Thompson (ankle) are questionable. For Indiana, Bennedict Mathurin (toe) is questionable, while Johnny Furphy and Quenton Jackson are sidelined.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET. The Pistons enter as 10.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Pistons are listed as +390 underdogs. The game’s total is set at 231.5 points.
Pacers vs. Pistons Preview
Motor City is all gas, no breaks. The Pistons have been one of the most dominant teams in the league early on, pairing a decent offense with a top-three defense for a striking fifth-ranked net rating. Oh — and they’ve kept their winning streak alive without their three leading scorers, who have all been out for the past two games.
There’s a chance that those guys all come back tonight. Duren and Thompson lead Detroit in rebounds and steals, respectively. Meanwhile, Cunningham is putting up career numbers, averaging 27.5 points and 9.9 assists per game — the type of stats that’ll earn you a signature shoe with Nike.
The Pacers have had a very different season. Indiana still hasn’t recovered from Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles in the NBA Finals. Not only did Myles Turner bolt in free agency, but many of the remaining top guys have joined Haliburton on the sidelines.
Indiana is liable for the worst offense in the league and a bottom-four defense, resulting in a brutal 29th-ranked net rating. They shoot an NBA-worst 40.1% from the field and 30% from long range, scoring the second-least points per game.
Big man Pascal Siakam has done it all for the Pacers, leading the team with 24.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. Still, the team as a whole just looks lost.
Pacers vs. Pistons Pick, Best Bet
Not all hope is lost for Indiana, as the team has shown some redeeming qualities. But unfortunately, their few strengths are poised to get neutralized against Detroit.
The Pacers are a really solid rebounding team — the Pistons are better. Indiana takes care of the ball — Detroit ranks top-three in steals. The Pacers have done a great job defending the perimeter — the Pistons prefer to attack the inside, where the Pacers typically get crushed.
Even if Cunningham, Duren, and Thompson remain sidelined, Detroit is far more complete than Indiana, a team hanging on by a thread. Count on the Pistons to defend home court in dominant fashion.
