The NBA tips off March with a jam-packed scoreboard, featuring 11 matchups spread throughout the day. In one of the most exciting matchups on the board, the Orlando Magic welcome the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons to the Kia Center at 6:00 p.m. ET. The two teams in this matchup are both in the playoff chase, and each roster has some very intriguing storylines. Let’s break down the matchup and find some Pistons at Magic player prop bets that make sense this Saturday.
In the overall matchup, the Pistons are 5.5-point road favorites with the total set at 223.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The two teams played twice earlier this season, with the Pistons winning 135-116 in their first matchup and the Magic winning 112-109 in the rematch at the end of November. Both those games were in Detroit, and this is the first meeting of these teams in Orlando.
The Pistons are 5 1/2 games clear of the rest of the field as the No. 1 seed in the East. They beat the Thunder and Cavaliers earlier this week and are 10-2 in their last 12. On the other side, the Magic have gone 3-3 in their last six games and are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference.
On the injury report, the Pistons are still without Isaiah Stewart due to suspension, but are otherwise healthy. The Magic listed Anthony Black as questionable with a quad contusion while Franz Wagner remains out with an ankle injury.
Pistons at Magic Best Prop Bets
Jalen Duren 20+ Points (+110)
Duren has been excellent for the Pistons this season and is one of the main reasons for their remarkable turnaround. The 22-year-old center is averaging 18.5 points per game in his 28.1 minutes per game.
He had 21 points and 13 rebounds in the first matchup between these teams and had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the rematch in November. He should be in a good spot for another solid game of at least 20 points on Sunday.
Since returning from his suspension, Duren has scored 26, 25, 29 and 33 points in his four games while adding 14.0 rebounds per game as well. He’s been a huge contributor down low and will look to continue to be the team’s go-to secondary option behind Cade Cunningham.
thu
Desmond Bane o20.5 Points (-107)
Bane has also been trending in the right direction in scoring categories while he helps pick up the usage during Wagner’s absence. If Anthony Black is out as well, Bane would have even more work available in this tough, gritty matchup against Detroit that should be a good fit for his style.
He’s averaging 20.3 points per game on the season and 21.5 points per game in his 28 games without Wagner. If Black is out, this would be the first game of the season that Bane has been without both of those players in the same contest.
In eight of his last nine games, Bane has gone over this scoring prop line while averaging 26.7 points on 60% shooting in 35.1 minutes per game. He will continue to carry the scoring load on Sunday and has a good chance to get at least 21 points once again.
Paul Reed o7.5 Points (-107)
With Stewart out, Reed has stepped into a much larger role for the Pistons over the last few games. He only played 11 minutes and had four points against the Cavs on Friday, but before that, he had been playing closer to 20 minutes per game and making more of an impact.
He has scored at least eight points in seven straight games against the Eastern Conference, and he had seven straight games with at least eight points before his down game Friday.
B-Ball Paul should be back in the mix more on Sunday, and all he needs is eight points to deliver on this plus-money prop.
Bonus Parlay Pick: Jalen Suggs u18.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-114)
If you’re building an SGP (Same Game Parlay) from this Sunday night matchup, adding in the under on Suggs’ points, rebounds and assists boosts the odds to a spicy +1400 for these four Pistons-Magic bets.
On Thursday, Suggs returned from a three-game absence due to a back strain, but he did not look comfortable coming off the bench and produced just five PRA (points, rebounds and assists). Even though he’s not on the injury report, his minutes and effectiveness could be lower than usual against the Pistons, who typically do a great job shutting down point guards.
