The NBA has a 10-game schedule on Tuesday night with a premier Eastern Conference battle on deck in the early window. At 7 p.m. EST, James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers play host to Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. With both teams looking excellent since the All-Star break, this should be a very fun test for these sides even if Donovan Mitchell will be sidelined due to injury.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is a 2.5-point favorite on the road with -142 odds to win on the Moneyline. The game total is set at just 227.5 combined points.
Here are the top Pistons vs. Cavaliers prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for this matchup.
Best Pistons vs. Cavaliers player prop bets
Jarrett Allen to record a double-double (+136)
The Pistons may be one of the NBA’s best teams on the interior with the third-fewest points in the paint allowed per game along with the fourth-most rebounds themselves, but even Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart may have a tough time tonight against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The latter is who we’ll focus on in particular with this prop bet, especially with plus value on a double-double for the Cavs’ big man. Allen averages 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds this season, logging 18 double-doubles across his 50 games. That’s not a super reliable hit rate, is it? Not exactly, and the matchup is a tough one as mentioned above.
If it sounds like I’m trying to talk you out of this prop, just keep reading. Allen has been one of the league’s best centers over the past month or so, absolutely dominating when given the opportunity. Now we’re talking! Since February 1, the 27-year-old averages 22.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per outing, shooting an incredible 72.7% from the field on nearly 12 shots a game. He’s been excellent over this stretch of 12 appearances, and while Mobley missed some of those to allow Allen a featured role as the only true big man in the starting five, they’ve continued to coexist nicely alongside each other. Allen has recorded nine of his double-doubles over those 12 total contests, and he’ll need to produce tonight for the Cavaliers to have a chance.
Yes, he faces a real test against an All-Star in the paint, but he put up 25 points and nine boards in the last meeting between these teams and had 20 points with seven rebounds in the first matchup despite playing only 25 minutes. His 10th double-double in 13 games could be on the horizon.
Tobias Harris under 13.5 points (-122)
Looking towards the other side of the matchup, there’s an under on points that should probably be priced a little bit shorter than it currently is. Tobias Harris is the third-leading scorer for the Pistons with 13.2 PPG this season, but efficiency is certainly not a strong suit with a 44.9% FG% and a 33.9% 3P%. The veteran has still served as an integral part of Detroit’s rotation during the ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference, but the higher-end scoring nights simply don’t come very often. He’s gone under this line of 13.5 points in four of his six games since the All-Star break as well as seven of his last 10 outings as well. On the full season, the under has cashed 26 times out of 43 appearances overall — good for a hit rate of roughly 60.4%.
The Cavaliers aren’t a dominant defensive team as they were last season, allowing 115.0 PPG (14th), but they are 11th in DEFRTG and have held opponents to 102 points or fewer in three of their seven games since the break. Given Harris’ struggles at times, tonight probably isn’t the best environment for him to do much in the scoring column; certainly not with Mobley and Jaylon Tyson matching up with him. I’m fading him at under 13.5 points this evening and feel more than comfortable doing so.
