For the second-straight night, the NBA has eight games on the scoreboard. Amazon Prime’s doubleheader tips off at 7 p.m. ET with a great matchup between the Rockets and the Pistons in the Motor City.
Detroit enters as 4.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the game total set at a below-average 218.5 points. This will be the second meeting between the teams this season, following the Pistons’ 115-111 victory in Houston on Oct. 24.
The Pistons come into the rematch riding four straight wins, including a big win at home against the Celtics on Monday and a road victory in New Orleans on Wednesday without Cade Cunningham. The star guard is listed as probable for Friday’s contest, while Caris LeVert is out. Houston’s rotation is also uncertain, since it’s playing the second night of a back-to-back after a deflating, overtime loss in Philadelphia. The Rockets own a 26-16 record, good for fourth in the West, while Detroit leads the East with an impressive 32-10 mark.
Let’s take a closer look at Friday’s matchup between top contenders and highlight a few strong player prop bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Rockets vs. Pistons Best Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jalen Duren Over 16.5 points (-101)
Duren’s emergence has helped fuel Detroit’s success this season, and he’ll likely carry a hefty offensive workload again on Friday — whether or not Cunningham returns.
Without the All-Star starter on Wednesday, Duren carried the offense with 20 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes against the Pelicans. He raised his scoring average this season to 17.8 points per game, showing that he can surpass this prop line, even in his “typical” complementary role to Cunningham.
Duren has scored at least 16.5 points in back-to-back contests and seven of his last 12. While he only tallied six points in the first matchup with Houston, Duren played just 12 minutes as he ramped up from a hamstring injury.
The fourth-year big man could also have a favorable matchup if Steven Adams remains sidelined. Cunningham could defer a little if he’s less than 100%, but either way, Duren should score at least 17 points.
Kevin Durant 35+ Points + Rebounds + Assists (-113)
Durant is averaging 36.1 combined points, rebounds, and assists (PRA) this season, and he has at least 35 PRA in 15 of his last 20 games.
On Thursday, KD had 46 PRA with 36 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. He ended up playing a whopping 44 minutes in the overtime loss, so fatigue is a concern. Still, the NBA veteran is used to back-to-backs, and they haven’t slowed him down this season.
In his four games on no days’ rest this season, he has averaged 30.5 points, six rebounds, and 5.8 assists — good for 42.3 PRA. Coming off Thursday’s strong performance, he should carry the momentum against the Pistons, whom he torched for 41 PRA last time out.
If you want to be more aggressive, Durant’s 40+ PRA is pretty tantalizing at +184, given his recent form — and the fact that it should be a close, competitive game. The only reason I’m sticking with 35+ PRA for my main pick is that Friday’s contest could be a low-scoring affair.
Jaden Ivey Under 12.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-121)
Even without Cunningham, Ivey failed to surpass this prop line on Wednesday against the Pelicans. He finished with seven points, one assist, and one rebound in 18 minutes. Detroit is carefully working him back after his broken fibula, and he is playing a limited role in the second unit. Since Daniss Jenkins played so well, he could get more work ahead of Ivey, even with Cunningham back.
He’s had under 13 PRA in four of his last five games and six of his last nine, while averaging just 12.2 PRA this season. While he has the potential to get hot off the bench, his limited role reduces his possibility of doing so — making his under a strong option on Friday night.
Bonus Parlay Pick: Reed Sheppard Over 9.5 points (-127)
If you’re building an SGP (Same Game Parlay) to start your Friday night with a bang, adding the over on Sheppard’s points takes this prop to +950. If you want to mix in picks from other games, you can also build a strong SGPx.
Sheppard has scored over 10 points in four straight games, heating back up after a cold shooting stretch. He is averaging 13 points per game this season, and he should clear double digits again on Friday, especially if Cunningham isn’t at full strength.
