Detroit Pistons vs Denver Nuggets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24

At 9:00 ET, the Pistons will be in Denver to take on the Nuggets in a non-conference matchup. Detroit (+184) is currently on a three-game win streak and is 9th in the Eastern Conference. The Nuggets (-222) have lost two straight and are 7th in the West. The over/under line is 231 points.

This game will be played at Ball Arena and can be seen on ALT.

DETROIT PISTONS VS DENVER NUGGETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Detroit Pistons +5.5

This game will be played at Ball Arena at 9:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.

WHY BET THE DETROIT PISTONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 127-110 in favor of the Pistons.
• Our projections have Cade Cunningham finishing with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists.
• From the field, we have the Pistons finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.7% and knocking down 14 threes.

Can the Pistons Lock in a Road Win?

The Pistons improved to 14-17 on the season after a 114-113 win over the Kings on Thursday. Detroit, who entered the game as +5 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The total score of 227 points was right on the line, resulting in a push for bettors.

After an 11-0 run by the Kings in the 2nd quarter, Detroit found themselves down 91-77 going into the 4th. However, they turned things around by outscoring Sacramento 37-22 in the final quarter to complete the comeback.

The Pistons’ offense in their win over the Kings was led by Cade Cunningham, who finished with 33 points and 10 assists, despite shooting just 37.5% from the field. Malik Beasley contributed 22 points, hitting 6 threes at a 54.5% clip. Jaden Ivey added 19 points, making 3 threes at 42.9%.

Detroit made 17 threes as a team, shooting 38.6% from deep, while finishing with an overall field goal percentage of 41.8%. Cunningham scored 12 points in the 1st quarter and added 8 more in the 4th, while Beasley put up 9 points in the final period.

Despite a rough start, the Pistons tightened up their defense in the 2nd half, allowing just 45 points in the 3rd and 4th quarters to secure a 114-113 win over the Kings. Detroit gave up 37 points in the 1st quarter and 31 in the 2nd but limited Sacramento to 23 points in the 3rd and 22 in the 4th.

The Pistons held the Kings to 14 made threes on 35% shooting from deep. They also sent Sacramento to the line 26 times, where the Kings made 21 free throws. Detroit finished with 34 defensive rebounds, allowing 8 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals and 4 blocks.

Is a Home Win Possible for the Nuggets?

The Nuggets fell to 16-13 on the season after a 149-135 loss to the Cavaliers on Friday. Denver, who were +3.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread at home. The game’s total of 284 points soared past the O/U line of 236.5 by 47.5 points.

Denver’s troubles began with a 16-0 run by Cleveland, stretching the score from 53-52 to 69-52. The Nuggets couldn’t recover, despite a strong 4th quarter where they outscored the Cavs 34-33, after entering the period down 116-101.

In their 149-135 loss to the Cavaliers, the Nuggets shot 56.4% from the field and hit 15 threes at a 48.4% clip. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 27 points, with Jokic adding 13 assists and 14 rebounds, shooting 63.2% from the floor.

Michael Porter Jr. contributed 18 points, knocking down 5 threes at 62.5%. Christian Braun added 12 of his 16 points in the 3rd quarter, while Peyton Watson also scored 18, with 8 points in the 3rd.

The Nuggets’ defense struggled on Friday, giving up 149 points in a loss to the Cavaliers. Denver allowed 40 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, 36 in the 3rd, and 33 in the 4th.

Cleveland shot 56% from the field, including 47% from three, hitting 23 threes. The Cavaliers also made 18 of 22 free throws. Denver finished with 30 defensive rebounds, 8 steals, and 3 blocks.