Two teams in the midst of incredibly successful seasons are set to do battle Tuesday evening when the Denver Nuggets (33-17) travel to Little Caesars Arena to take on the Detroit Pistons (36-12).
Both teams are in contention to make a Finals run in their respective conferences, setting up Nuggets vs. Pistons for an exciting regular-season showdown.
The Nuggets were able to withstand 16 games without their three-time MVP C Nikola Jokic, going 10-6 without him while maintaining control of the three-seed in the West.
The Pistons, meanwhile, sit atop the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2008. It’s been a meteoric rise for this franchise who finished last in the East with a record of 14-68 just two seasons ago.
Nuggets vs. Pistons tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday from Detroit, live on NBA League Pass.
Below, we’ll break down our Nuggets vs. Pistons prediction and spread for PrizePicks. Use PrizePicks NBA to make picks on player projections and win real money if you’re right, or predict the Nuggets vs. Pistons winner, spread, over/under and more on PrizePicks Team Picks, available in 34 states.
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Nuggets vs. Pistons Prediction, Spread
It’s elite offense vs. elite defense in Detroit this evening. With an offensive rating of 120.8, Denver brings to the table the league's top-rated offense, according to NBA.com.
Jokic made his return two games ago, with his minutes being closely monitored, only playing 25 and 29 minutes since his return. The Nuggets' offense has missed him: With Jokic on the court, the Nuggets' offensive rating is 11 points higher (125.9 vs. 114.9).
The Pistons' resurgence has been spearheaded by their lockdown defense. They have a team defensive rating of 108.3, the second-best mark in the league. Their defense takes another step up at the friendly confines of Little Caesars Arena, leading the league in home defensive rating at 104.
Offensively, they have been led by MVP-candidate PG Cade Cunningham, whose MVP payout is sitting at a 22.22x on PrizePicks Team Picks, the fourth most likely MVP in the association as of writing.
Nuggets vs. Pistons Spread, Over/Under
The Pistons enter Tuesday’s game as 3.5-point home favorites, returning a 1.51x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Nuggets are road underdogs with a 2.38x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Detroit Pistons -3.5 (1.78x payout)
- Over/Under: 227.5 (1.85x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Nuggets 2.38x | Pistons 1.51x
Team Picks payouts are live as of publishing and are subject to change.
Nuggets vs. Pistons Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Nuggets vs. Pistons injury report for Tuesday, via NBA.com.
Nuggets Injury Report
- SG Tamar Bates (foot): OUT
- SF Cam Johnson (knee): OUT
- PF Aaron Gordon (hamstring): OUT
- SG Christian Braun (ankle): Questionable
Pistons Injury Report
- SG Caris Levert (illness): Questionable
Nuggets vs. Pistons Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats to help you make your Nuggets vs. Pistons prediction on the spread today.
- The Nuggets are 29-21-0 (58%) against-the-spread (ATS) this season, the third-best record in the league. They also have the best record ATS on the road this season at 17-9-0 (65.4%).
- Denver is tenth in the league in free-throw attempts per game at 25.1, while the Pistons send their opponents to the line a league-leading 28.3 times per game.
- As a road underdog, the Nuggets are an incredible 7-1 ATS (87.5%). The Pistons are just 10-10 ATS as home favorites (50%).
- Working in the Pistons' favor, though, is their ability to shut down what Denver does best offensively. The Nuggets lead the league in 3-point percentage at 39.9%, while the Pistons hold opponents to the fifth-lowest shooting percentage from deep, 34.6%.
Nuggets vs. Pistons NBA Player Picks for PrizePicks
Here are two of the top Nuggets vs. Pistons picks to consider for PrizePicks today. Player projections via the PrizePicks real-money NBA game.
Pistons PG Cade Cunningham vs. Nuggets Projection: 39.5 Pts+Reb+Asts
- Cunningham averages 40.6 Pts+Reb+Asts (PRA) this season.
- He has had more than this number in 28 of his 42 games this season (66.7%).
- Cade is most likely to draw defensive coverage from SF Peyton Watson or PG Jamal Murray, both of whom are tied for the lowest defensive rating on the Nuggets at 118.0, according to NBA.com.
Nuggets C Nikola Jokic vs. Pistons Projection: 43.5 Pts+Reb+Asts
- This is an up-in-pace game for the Nuggets. They rank 26th in the league in pace while the Pistons rank 15th.
- As mentioned above, the Pistons allow a league-high 28.1 free-throw attempts per game. Good news for Jokic, who is averaging a career high of 7.6 free-throw attempts per game.
- The triple-double machine shoots more efficiently on the road, both from the field (62% vs 59.7%) and from 3-point range (45.2% vs. 42.7%).
- Jokic played 24 minutes in his first game back from injury, followed by 29 minutes in his next game. If he sees anything close to 30 minutes tonight, this number is far too low for a player of his caliber.
- The Joker averages 52 PRA this season and has had more than this number in a whopping 27 of his 34 games (79.1%).
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Make Nuggets vs. Pistons NBA Picks on PrizePicks
Opposites attract in Detroit this Tuesday evening, with the league's best home-court defense playing host to the NBA’s best overall offense. Nuggets vs. Pistons picks aren’t the only way hoops fans can get in on the daily NBA action.
You can make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 34 states.
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