Detroit Pistons vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 3/17/25

At 8:00 ET, the Pistons (-258) will take on the Pelicans (+211) at the Smoothie King Center. Detroit is currently favored by 7 points, and the over/under line is set at 233.

This non-conference matchup will be televised on Gulf.

DETROIT PISTONS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +7

This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Monday, March 17th.

WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-125 in favor of the Pelicans.
  • Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.6% and knocking down 13 threes.

Can the Pistons Pull Off a Win at New Orleans?

Detroit’s season record dropped to 37-31 after a 113-107 loss to the Thunder on Saturday. The Pistons were +4.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread, losing by six points. The total score of 220 points fell short of the 231.5-point line.

Detroit went on a 14-0 run, taking the score from 24-20 to 34-24. However, they couldn’t maintain the momentum, as the Thunder outscored them 36-23 in the 3rd quarter. The Pistons made a push in the 4th, winning the quarter 30-22, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

In their 113-107 loss to the Thunder, the Pistons hit 14 threes, shooting 42.4% from beyond the arc. Tobias Harris led the team with 18 points, while Dennis Schröder added 17 points and 11 assists, connecting on 4 threes at a 50% rate.

Harris scored 8 points in the 1st quarter and added 6 more in the 4th. Schröder contributed 7 points in the final period, and Malik Beasley also added 5 of his 15 points in the 4th quarter.

Defensively, the Pistons had strong 1st and 4th quarters, but a tough 3rd quarter where they gave up 36 points contributed to their 113-107 loss to the Thunder. Overall, they allowed Oklahoma City to shoot 48% from the field.

Detroit did well in limiting the Thunder’s three-point shooting, holding them to 10 made threes on 29% shooting. The Pistons also sent the Thunder to the free-throw line 22 times, where they made 17. Detroit finished with 33 defensive rebounds, gave up 10 offensive boards, and recorded 8 steals.

Can the Pelicans Hold Strong at Home?

The Pelicans fell to 18-50 on the season after a 119-115 road loss to the Spurs on Saturday. New Orleans was favored by 1.5 points but failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 234 narrowly missed the over/under line of 235.

San Antonio’s 17-0 run turned the game, taking the score from 79-75 to 92-79. New Orleans tried to rally, outscoring the Spurs 32-27 in the 4th quarter, but couldn’t close the gap.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 26 points and 9 assists in their 119-115 loss to the Spurs, hitting 5 threes at 41.7% and shooting 45.5% overall. Trey Murphy added 20 points, connecting on 4 threes, while Bruce Brown contributed 19 points, shooting 61.5% from the field.

The Pelicans shot 50% as a team, making 12 threes at 34.3%. McCollum scored 14 points in the 2nd quarter and added 7 more in the 4th, while Karlo Matkovic scored 8 of his 12 points in the final period.

Defensively, the Pelicans started strong in the 1st quarter, allowing just 22 points, but they struggled in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, giving up 36 and 34 points, respectively. They tightened up in the 4th, holding the Spurs to 27 points, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a 119-115 loss. Overall, New Orleans allowed San Antonio to shoot 46% from the field.

The Pelicans had trouble defending the three-point line, where the Spurs hit 16 threes on 41% shooting. New Orleans also sent San Antonio to the free-throw line 33 times, where they made 25 shots. On the boards, the Pelicans gave up 8 offensive rebounds while recording 2 steals and 3 blocks.