Hawks vs Pistons

Detroit rolls into this one at 16-4 with Cade Cunningham playing at an MVP-caliber level and leading a top-tier 119.8 points-per-game offense, now back home after snapping a brief skid with a 138-135 win in Miami, while Atlanta arrives on a two-game surge but still missing Trae Young (MCL) and Kristaps Porzingis in addition to frontcourt depth pieces like N’Faly Dante. With the Pistons 8-2 in their last 10 and already owning a 120-112 road win over the Hawks behind Cunningham’s 25 points and 10 assists, plus Jalen Duren’s interior dominance, Detroit’s continuity and health edge (only rotation hits are Marcus Sasser and Bobi Klintman, with Duncan Robinson day-to-day) make it very tough for a shorthanded Atlanta group leaning heavily on Jalen Johnson’s breakout usage to steal an upset at Little Caesars Arena. The moneyline price is steep, so while the win probability is high, the value is only solid, not spectacular, earning this Pistons ML recommendation a B+ grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/12/2025 09:37am

Atlanta’s 118.9 points per game and pass-happy attack under Jalen Johnson’s point-forward usage meet Detroit’s 119.8-per-night offense and strong home splits in a matchup that has recently produced a 120-112 Pistons win and a 148-143 track meet, plus the Pistons just played a 138-135 shootout in Miami that underscored both their offensive ceiling and occasional defensive slippage. Even with Young sidelined, the Hawks are still playing fast and scoring efficiently on this road trip, but their thin frontcourt without Porzingis and N’Faly Dante, combined with Detroit’s relentless Cunningham-Duren pick-and-roll and spacing from shooters like Ausar Thompson and Duncan Robinson, suggests both defenses will be chasing in transition and scrambling in half-court coverage. The 232 total is aggressive and recent fatigue spots for both clubs introduce some volatility, yet the combination of elite usage from Cunningham, Johnson’s creation load, and multiple recent games landing in the high 230s or beyond nudges this toward an Over lean, graded B- due to the high number and risk of one side cooling off from deep. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/12/2025 09:37am

Jalen Johnson’s rise to a 22.9-points-per-game focal point, coupled with Atlanta’s current two-game win streak and 13-8 record, makes the Hawks +9 intriguing against a Detroit team that’s elite overall but has recently played several tight finishes, including a five-point road win in Indiana and a narrow three-point loss in Boston that ended its 13-game heater. The Pistons’ earlier 120-112 victory in Atlanta came by only eight points even with the Hawks extremely short-handed, and while Detroit’s home-court edge and healthier top end (Cunningham and Jalen Duren anchoring a physical, efficient core, with only role pieces like Marcus Sasser and Bobi Klintman out) favors them straight up, Atlanta’s spread profile improves as Johnson soaks up creation duties and complementary wings like Zaccharie Risacher settle into bigger roles. With both teams scoring at a high clip but the Hawks showing enough resilience to keep recent games competitive despite missing Young and Porzingis, grabbing a full nine points allows for a Pistons win that still cashes this ticket, giving Hawks +9 a B-grade as a solid value play on the underdog. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 01/12/2025 09:37am