It could be a potential first-round playoff preview on Friday night in Detroit as the Pistons and Celtics open the second half of the season against one another. The NBA betting spread on this game is the shortest of any on the night’s schedule. Let’s see who’s the favorite in the NBA betting lines.
Coach Stan Van Gundy said this week he was unsure when Reggie Jackson (ankle) would return to game action. Next Tuesday will mark two months since Jackson suffered his Grade-3 right ankle sprain. He was initially projected to miss 6-8 weeks. He has shed his walking boot but has not yet been cleared to practice with the team. Ish Smith will continue to start at point guard, with Jameer Nelson backing him up. Nelson was recently acquired from Chicago.
The Detroit Pistons are on pace for 877 3-pointers made this season, which would set the franchise record (740, 2015-16). Reggie Bullock is shooting a career-high 45.2% from beyond the arc, the third highest 3-point percentage in the NBA. Luke Kennard ranks second in 3-point percentage among qualified rookies.
Detroit holds a 107-201 overall record and a 62-84 home record against the Celtics.
Friday Night NBA Betting Pick & Prediction: Celtics at Pistons
When: Friday, 7 PM ET Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit TV: NBA League Pass, CSNN, FSDT Stream: NBA.tv Radio: 98.5 FM (Boston) / 97.1 FM (Detroit) NBA Betting Odds: Celtics -1 (205.5)✈️➡️Detroit pic.twitter.com/DrbiDImBKm
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 22, 2018
Season Series
The teams have split two meetings, each winning on the road. On Nov. 27, the Pistons were 118-108 upset winners in Boston. Andre Drummond had 26 points and 22 rebounds, and Tobias Harris – since traded to the LA Clippers – had 31 points. Reggie Jackson scored 20 points with seven assists for the Pistons. He’s out injured. Marcus Smart scored 23 points, making 6 of 9 from 3-point range, and Kyrie Irving had 18 with nine assists for the Celtics. On Dec. 10 in Detroit, the Celtics won 91-81. Boston held the Pistons to an opponent season low of 81 points as the C’s won in their first ever visit to the Little Caesars Arena. Al Horford led the Celtics with 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks while Irving added 16 points and three assists. The Pistons were led by Harris and his 19 points while Anthony Tolliver added 15 points off of the bench. Drummond didn’t make a shot until late in the game and finished with just six points on 1-of-5 shooting while Jackson was 0 for 9 with two points.Why Bet on Boston?
The break came at a good time for the Celtics (40-19) as they entered it on a three-game losing streak, all as home favorites. The Celtics have watched the red-hot Toronto Raptors move past them during a 6-9 SU run, and they now trail Toronto by two games in the race for top spot in the East. The finale before the break was a 129-119 defeat to the Clippers. Kyrie Irving Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 33 points with eight assists and five 3-pointers in 38 minutes. Coach Brad Stevens gave Irving a quick hook in the third quarter as he replaced him with Terry Rozier at the 7:37 mark in the third quarter. The break allowed guard Marcus Smart to get healthy from a hand injury. He should slot right back into his 30-minute role with the Celtics, which will result in fewer minutes for Terry Rozier. Smart sat out of Thursday’s practice with a thigh bruise but that shouldn’t affect his return. Smart isn’t a great shooter but a fabulous defender. The C’s went 6-5 without him while posting a 105.2 defensive rating, compared to a 99.8 defensive rating prior to his injury. In that three-game home skid before the break, Boston had two straight contests during which they allowed more than 120 points to the opposition. During their previous 57 games, the C’s had not once allowed their opponent to score more than 118 points. “We’re definitely going to be better defensively,” Marcus Morris said Thursday. “That’s [Smart’s] best attribute to this team. He’s a great defender, so I think he’s going to help.”Why Bet on Detroit?
The Pistons (28-29) are currently ninth in the East standings and have been very inconsistent since the big trade that landed Blake Griffin. Detroit stopped a three-game losing streak right before the break with a 104-98 win over Atlanta. lake Griffin shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 13 points but all of his makes were 3-pointers and he chipped in 12 rebounds and nine assists. Griffin is one of only four players this season averaging 22-plus points, eight-plus rebounds and five-plus assists.
Coach Stan Van Gundy said this week he was unsure when Reggie Jackson (ankle) would return to game action. Next Tuesday will mark two months since Jackson suffered his Grade-3 right ankle sprain. He was initially projected to miss 6-8 weeks. He has shed his walking boot but has not yet been cleared to practice with the team. Ish Smith will continue to start at point guard, with Jameer Nelson backing him up. Nelson was recently acquired from Chicago.
The Detroit Pistons are on pace for 877 3-pointers made this season, which would set the franchise record (740, 2015-16). Reggie Bullock is shooting a career-high 45.2% from beyond the arc, the third highest 3-point percentage in the NBA. Luke Kennard ranks second in 3-point percentage among qualified rookies.
Detroit holds a 107-201 overall record and a 62-84 home record against the Celtics.
Latest NBA Betting Trends
- Boston is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games
- Boston is 1-4 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went OVER in 5 of Boston’s last 7 games on the road
- Detroit is 0-5 ATS in the last 5 games
- Detroit is 6-3 SU in the last 9 games
- The total went UNDER in 4 of Detroit’s last 6 games
