Nearly two-thirds of the NBA is in action on Thursday night, and a 7:00 p.m. ET tip-off between the 24-16 Suns and 28-10 Pistons sees the Western and Eastern Conferences collide.
This interconference bout could have some seeding implications, especially given where both clubs are in the standings. As the NBA trade deadline draws nearer, every game carries plenty of importance.
Below, we’ll break down our Suns vs. Pistons prediction and picks for Thursday night’s game. Make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Suns vs. Pistons Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Suns have managed to bounce back in a major way from last season’s 36-46 debacle. Under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, they’re 24-16 and occupy the West’s No. 7 seed.
The Pistons surprised many a season ago by going 44-38, and they’ve only built on that momentum since. Their 28-10 record has them up four games on the next-closest team for the East’s top seed.
Thursday marks the 148th all-time regular-season meeting between these two squads. Phoenix leads the series 75-72, including a staggering 8-2 record in the last 10 bouts.
Suns vs. Pistons Over/Under, Spread
The Suns enter Thursday’s game as 6.5-point road underdogs, returning a 2.94x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Pistons are home favorites with a 1.36x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Detroit Pistons -6.5
- Over/Under: 221.5
- Game Winner Payout: Suns 2.94x | Pistons 1.36x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Suns vs. Pistons Injury Report
Let’s dive into the full Suns vs. Pistons injury report for Thursday, via NBA.com.
Suns Injury Report
- SG Devin Booker (ankle) – Questionable
- G Jordan Goodwin (jaw) – Available
- SG Jalen Green (hamstring) – Available
- SF Royce O’Neale (biceps) – Probable
Pistons Injury Report
- C Jalen Duren (ankle) – Probable
- PF Tobias Harris (hip) – Probable
Suns vs. Pistons Prediction on Spread
Here are some stats to know to help you make your Suns vs. Pistons prediction on Thursday, January 15.
- Although they’re a league-leading 28-12 against the spread as a whole, the Suns are just 7-8 as a road underdog, the NBA’s eighth-lowest cover rate (46.7%).
- Even with basketball’s ninth-highest average scoring margin (+2.7), Phoenix ranks 22nd in per-game scoring (114.8 points).
- Defensively, the Suns are sixth in scoring (112.2 PPG) but could be due for some regression. They sit 16th in opponent shooting percentage (46.9%).
- The Pistons’ offense is remarkably effective, sitting top three in scoring margin (+6.6), fastbreak scoring (18.2 PPG), and paint production (57.5 PPG).
- Detroit is no slouch on defense, either, holding foes to the lowest effective field goal percentage (51.8) and fewest assists per game (23.2).
Suns vs. Pistons Picks for PrizePicks Today: Thursday, January 15
Here are three top Suns vs. Pistons picks to target for Thursday, January 15 on PrizePicks. Player stat projections via PrizePicks are headlined by F Dillon Brooks, PG Cade Cunningham, and C Jalen Duren.
Suns F Dillon Brooks vs. Pistons Projection: 20.5 Points
- Through 34 games, Brooks is posting career-highs in PPG (21.3), field goal percentage (45.7), and 2-point percentage (53.7).
- Midrange mastery has Brooks playing his best ball. He’s canning 46.2% of his shots from 10-16 feet and from 16 feet to the 3-point line.
- Brooks’ 28.3% usage rate is the second-highest of his NBA tenure, and his .208 free throw rate sits third.
- Via databallr, Brooks hoists 29.4 true shot attempts per 100, putting him in the 98th percentile.
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Pistons PG Cade Cunningham vs. Suns Projection: 42.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- On the year, Cunningham averages 42.6 combined points, rebounds, and assists. In his last 10 games, that number is 43.3.
- Despite jacking up a career-high 22.7 shots per game, Cunningham’s true shooting percentage of 57.7 is a new personal best.
- Cunningham grabs 14% of available defensive rebounds, a 97th-percentile figure, and 4.1% of his own misses, an 86th-percentile mark.
- The former No. 1 overall pick’s 41.2% assist rate trails only Hornets PG LaMelo Ball (41.8%) and Nuggets C Nikola Jokic (47.4%).
Pistons C Jalen Duren vs. Suns Projection: 24.5 Pts + Rebs
- Duren combines for 28.5 points and rebounds per game in 31 contests this year.
- An new shot diet away from the rim has influenced Duren’s improvement. He went from taking 33.2% of his shots from 3-10 feet last year to 44.6% this year, increasing efficiency from 55.8% to 57.9%.
- Among all players with 10+ games logged, the 22-year-old is second with 20.7 rebound chances per game.
- Per FantasyPros, the Suns rank 12th in rebounds per game yielded to the C position (14.61).
Make Suns vs. Pistons Picks on PrizePicks
Suns vs. Pistons picks aren’t the only avenue hoops fans have to getting 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 30 states.
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