Tipping off at 8:00 p.m. ET across the seven-game NBA slate, the Detroit Pistons will face off with the New Orleans Pelicans.
This is a battle of cross-conference opponents on opposite sides of the standings. The Pistons sit in the top spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Pelicans hold a league-worst record that slots them in 15th place in the West. Tonight will mark the first of two matchups between these two teams this season.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Pistons enter as 8.5-point favorites and hold -360 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pelicans hold +285 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 230.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.
Pistons at Pelicans prediction, preview
The Detroit Pistons had a massive organizational turnaround last season, going from a 14-68 record in the 2023-24 season to 44-38 last season to snap a five-season playoff drought. They have successfully built off this by getting off to a 31-10 start to the season, which gives them the best record in the Eastern Conference. Detroit enters this game on a three-game win streak and has won six of its last seven. On the season, the Pistons are 22-19 against the spread, and the game total has gone 17-23-1 to the over/under this season.
Cade Cunningham headlines the production for the Pistons, posting averages of 25.7 points, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. He has been downgraded to questionable with an illness ahead of this game, and his status is worth monitoring. Caris LeVert is also questionable due to an illness. Jalen Duren has taken a massive leap forward in his production this year, posting averages of 17.8 points and 10.7 rebounds, while Isaiah Stewart also plays an important role in the big man rotation. Duncan Robinson headlines the perimeter attack for Detroit, connecting on 40.6% of his three-point attempts while launching 7.2 perimeter shots per game. Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland are each also essential parts of the rotation.
The Pistons lean on a defensive-minded style of basketball for their success. They are holding opponents to 110.1 points per game this season, which is the third-best rate in the NBA. Detroit also ranks second in offensive rating, second in opponent field-goal percentage and sixth in opponent three-point percentage while forcing turnovers at the second-highest rate. On the offensive end, it is scoring the 11th-most points in the league at 117.3 points per game. It ranks 12th in offensive rating, third in rebounds per game, seventh in field-goal percentage and 19th in three-point percentage.
On paper, the New Orleans Pelicans have the talent to be in the contending mix, but they have failed to put together the necessary level of production. New Orleans sits in last place in the Western Conference with a league-worst 10-35 record on the season. It enters this matchup coming off back-to-back losses and has dropped 13 of its last 15. The Pelicans are 23-21-1 against the spread this season, and the game total has gone over in 24 of their 45 games played.
Zion Williamson leads the team in scoring with 22.5 points per game, along with 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Availability continues to be a concern for the former top pick, and he has been downgraded to questionable tonight due to illness. Herb Jones has been upgraded to questionable after missing the past seven games with an ankle sprain, while Jose Alvarado and Dejounte Murray continue to be sidelined. Trey Murphy III adds 22.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists of his own, while Saddiq Bey has exceeded expectations and made a positive impact. First-round picks Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have also shown some positive flashes, painting a more positive outlook for the future.
As a team, the Pelicans rank 21st in the league in scoring, tallying 114.9 points per game. New Orleans ranks 24th in offensive rating, 21st in field-goal percentage, 26th in three-point percentage and 12th in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring the third-most points against the Pelicans at 122.2 points per game. New Orleans ranks 28th in defensive rating, 27th in opponent field-goal percentage and 17th in opponent three-point percentage.
Pistons at Pelicans pick, best bet
Cade Cunningham and Zion Williamson each holding questionable tags due to illness makes this game a bit difficult to project. Keep an eye on the injury report leading up to tip-off, with a lack of availability to one of the franchise stars likely to shift the line one way or another.
But even if Cunningham is to miss or is limited, count on the Pistons maintaining their strong start and getting the double-digit win tonight. Detroit has found a clear identity and cohesive style of play that New Orleans is still searching for. The Pelicans have underwhelmed relative to the level of talent on the roster, but there is no quick solution to this. The organization finds itself straddling two timelines, with Queen and Fears painting a bright picture for the future, but players like Williamson and Murphy III still holding a win-now outlook.
The lack of toughness on this New Orleans roster has also been a noteworthy takeaway on the season. This will be a problem in this type of matchup, with players like Duren, Stewart, Holland and Thompson not willing to back down to anyone. New Orleans ranks 19th in rebounds per game and 23rd in opponent rebounds allowed. Count on the Pistons imposing themselves on the boards and generating additional offensive opportunities. Expect the Pistons to win the possession battle by forcing turnovers at a high rate as well. This Pelicans offense is capable of being shut off from scoring at a reliable rate, and the Pistons are in the mix for the best defense they will run into.
Brace for some line movement depending on the availability of Cunningham and Williamson. But with or without their star, expect the Pistons to produce a double-digit win. Detroit ranks second in the league in average margin of victory at +7.3 on the year, and it has won by double digits in 14 of its 31 wins. Expect the physicality of the Pistons to be the difference in this game and for Detroit to produce a comfortable victory tonight.
