The NBA summer league continues on in Las Vegas today, with the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons facing off. The Suns have gotten off to a 2-1 start, while the Pistons have dropped two of their first three games.
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering odds for all the summer league matchups, including some player prop and team prop options, depending on your location.
The Suns enter as narrow 1.5-point favorites with -130 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pistons are +110 underdogs, with the game total set at 174.5 points.
Suns vs. Pistons preview, prediction
The Phoenix Suns enter with a 2-1 record in Summer League. They kicked off the action with a tightly contested 81-79 win over the Trail Blazers. Portland led for 74% of the matchup, and both teams extended double-digit leads during the game. But the Suns outscored the Trail Blazers 57-41 in the second half to secure the comeback win. Phoenix was back in action on Sunday, but fell short in an 81-75 loss at the hands of the Pelicans. New Orleans was unable to extend the lead beyond 12 points, but led wire-to-wire, and the Suns were unable to replicate the same comeback magic. Most recently, Phoenix defeated the Bucks 95-88. It was a tightly contested matchup, with neither side leading by more than nine. The Suns closed out the victory on an 11-1 run.
Through the opening three games, second-year big man Khaman Maluach has opened some eyes with his progression. The Duke product is averaging 18.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks, while showcasing an expanded range. 30th overall pick Koa Peat is adding 16.0 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Javonte Cooke and Darius Brown II are also averaging in double figures. Rasheer Fleming, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Koby Brea have also had some nice flashes on a Summer League roster loaded with athleticism.
The Detroit Pistons have lost two of their opening three games in Las Vegas. They kicked off the summer league with a 101-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, in which the Sixers led from wire-to-wire. Detroit shot the ball better from the field, but the Sixers caught fire from beyond the three-point arc, which proved to be the difference in the game. The Pistons then took down the Cavaliers 103-94 in Game 2, in which they led for 91% of the matchup. Detroit dominated the rebounding battle and shot 48% from beyond the three-point arc to secure the win. Most recently, the Knicks defeated the Pistons 86-75 on Monday. Detroit struggled to shoot the ball, connecting on just 39% of their shots from the field and 30% from beyond the three-point arc in a frustrating loss.
Second-year shooting guard Chaz Lanier headlines the production, posting an average of 20.3 points while shooting 53.3% on three-point attempts. Isaac Jones adds 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds, while 17th overall pick Ebuka Okorie is contributing 16.0 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game. Brice Williams and Roddy Gayle Jr. are also averaging in double figures, while Jaden Henley has opened some eyes in his own right.
Suns vs. Pistons pick, best bet
Khaman Maluach has been one of the biggest standouts in all of Summer League. The second-year big man has taken some major steps forward in his shooting touch and overall feel for the game. Standing 7-foot-2, he is a force on the interior, which will especially be problematic against a Pistons’ roster that is lacking in size. Expect the Suns to play through Maluach at a high rate and for this to produce some impressive results.
While you can make a case that the Pistons have an advantage at the guard position, Phoenix has more size and athleticism across the board. Players like Koa Peat and Rasheer Flemming use their long wingspans to take away significant portions of the court, and this will prove problematic for some of Detroit’s offensive creators. Ebuka Okorie has done a nice job generating shots with the ball in his hands, but his 6-foot-1 height and limited athletic pop will be an issue in this matchup.
Expect the Suns to set the tone of the defensive end today and for the Pistons to be unable to match this. It will take a strong perimeter shooting performance from the Pistons to overcome this, but Chaz Lanier and Brice Williams are the only true reliable perimeter options. Lanier has been a high-level shooter dating back to college, but his 53.3% shooting split is unsustainable.
Defense tends to travel more in this type of pickup-like basketball setting. Expect this to be the difference in favor of Phoenix and for this Suns team to continue competing at a high level throughout the matchup. Back the Suns to get the win and cover the 1.5-point spread to push their summer league record to 3-1.
