Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons Picks and Predictions Dec 16
Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons Betting Preview
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons betting preview for Thursday, December 16. At the time of posting, the Pacers are holding steady as a 10-point home favorite over the visiting Pistons, with the total sitting at 209.5 points.
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| Thurs, Dec 16 | NBA Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Indiana Pacers -10 vs Detroit Pistons |
| Total: | 209.5 Points |
| Game Time: | 7:10pm ET / 4:10pm PT |
| Arena: | Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis |
| TV: | Bally Sports Indiana |
Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons Predictions
It’s tough to find some good news for the Pistons these days as they’ve lost 12 straight, and their best scorer (Jerami Grant) is out with an injury and is reportedly on the trading block. They’re building for the future, and Cunningham is showing why he was worth an early pick. It will take time, and he’s got the look of a star, but how will the Pistons fair against the Pacers?
The Pacers gagged away a game against Milwaukee last night where they scored 5 points in the first 9 minutes of the fourth quarter when the Bucks were without Middleton and Giannis, and now they fly back to Indy for a game against the Pistons…so let’s make some money on this game.
The Pistons defense is non-existent as they’ve allowed 105 points or more in 10 out of 11 games, and they are dead last in opponent field goal percentage allowing teams to shoot 47.7% against them, and they are second worst in 3-point percentage allowed.
If we’re looking at defense against specific positions, it’s not good for the Pistons as they are bottom half in guards and bigs, but they struggle more against centers and forwards which should mean good things for the interior offense of the Pacers.
The Pacers should have a big advantage with Turner and Sabonis against Detroit, but we saw last night how bad they can be at strategy as the Bucks were without Middleton and Giannis and the Pacers never tried to attack the interior. If you’re backing the Pacers, you would think an adjustment would be coming as Sabonis has been a points and rebounding machine in December.
As a resident in Indy, I follow the Pacers every game and I knew they would be inconsistent in the first half of the season with a new coach and a new system. There are a lot of ups and downs night to night with this team, so I must say use caution in using season long stats with Indiana to make predictions. It has to be mentioned that several players on the Pacers are on the open market for trades, and that has to be a cloud hanging over the team. The Pacers have lost two in a row…before that they won three in a row…and before that they won 4 in a row…so you can see the roller coaster ride they take their bettors on.
As much inconsistency as we have with both these teams, there is a trend emerging for both teams that I like from a betting perspective, and that’s the over 209.5 points here. The last five games the Pacers are 3-2 to the over and the Pistons are 4-1 to the over. Without Jerami Grant, the Pistons offer very little athleticism on the wings, and both the Pacers and Pistons are bottom 12 defending guards.
I’ll expect the well rested guards of the Pistons to have some pop against a Pacers team coming off a back to back, and I also expect Sabonis and Turner to have their way inside. The game sets up well for an over, and that’s where I’ll be putting my money.
OFFICIAL PLAY: Over 210
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Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons Analysis from The GoldSheet
Top scorer Jerami Grant (20.1 ppg) now likely out at least a month with a thumb injury. With the other four Detroit starters having just played ten minutes together without Grant on the floor at the time of his injury, it’s hardly an optimal scenario. Add in a defense that ranks near the bottom of the league and chances for a recovery tonight appear limited.
The Pacers certainly won’t be in a good mood after scoring just 12 points in the 4th Q last night in a loss to the Bucks, but they had covered four straight prior, including a fierce effort that fell just short vs. the high-flying Warriors on Monday night. Indy was on its first three-game win streak of the season into Golden State, and also on its best five-game stretch of offense (120 points per 100 possessions).
Concern that Rick Carlisle still likely missing from the sideline due to Covid protocols, and the Pacers fell short in their last two games during his absence with asst. Lloyd Pierce stewarding the operation from the bench, though Golden State & Milwaukee (a long way from the Pistons) had something to do with those Indiana losses, too.
Thursday’s NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Click here to download Thursday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
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