PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's NBA Friday Top Ticket - Epic 46-24-1 (66%) NBA Hot Streak!
(NBA) Phoenix vs. Detroit,
Point Spread: 7.50 | -110.00 Detroit (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 7.50 | -110.00 Detroit (Home)
Result: Win
Now that the line has gotten past 7 at some sportsbooks and word has come out that Derrick Rose is OK to play, I'm going to get involved with the home underdog Pistons.
Phoenix has continued to play well this season after going unbeaten in the Orlando bubble to finish last season. The Suns are 6-2. The timing isn't the best for Phoenix in this matchup, though. The Suns just defeated the Raptors, 123-115, at home two days ago. They play at Indiana on Saturday. That's a more challenging game for them so they don't want to leave everything on the floor in this matchup.
But can the 1-7 Pistons hold up their end and make this a close game? I believe they can. It's a stop-the-pain game for Detroit, which is on a three-game losing streak and just suffered a 130-115 loss to the Bucks in a game where Milwaukee scored 82 first-half points. Rose went out in the second quarter after banging his knee. He didn't return. But he is expected to play today as the injury was not serious.
This is important not only because Rose still remains an effective player averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 assists in around 24 minutes per game, but also because Detroit's starting point guard, rookie Killian Hayes, is out after suffering a torn labrum in his right hip. The Pistons would be thin and inexperienced in the backcourt without Rose.
The Suns aren't a team to back when laying a large number. Phoenix ranks only 20th in scoring averaging 109.8 points per game. Detroit, by contrast, actually averages more points a game at 111.5.
The Pistons have been rough on the Suns, too, winning both games last season and covering 13 of the last 16 at home versus Phoenix.
Phoenix has continued to play well this season after going unbeaten in the Orlando bubble to finish last season. The Suns are 6-2. The timing isn't the best for Phoenix in this matchup, though. The Suns just defeated the Raptors, 123-115, at home two days ago. They play at Indiana on Saturday. That's a more challenging game for them so they don't want to leave everything on the floor in this matchup.
But can the 1-7 Pistons hold up their end and make this a close game? I believe they can. It's a stop-the-pain game for Detroit, which is on a three-game losing streak and just suffered a 130-115 loss to the Bucks in a game where Milwaukee scored 82 first-half points. Rose went out in the second quarter after banging his knee. He didn't return. But he is expected to play today as the injury was not serious.
This is important not only because Rose still remains an effective player averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 assists in around 24 minutes per game, but also because Detroit's starting point guard, rookie Killian Hayes, is out after suffering a torn labrum in his right hip. The Pistons would be thin and inexperienced in the backcourt without Rose.
The Suns aren't a team to back when laying a large number. Phoenix ranks only 20th in scoring averaging 109.8 points per game. Detroit, by contrast, actually averages more points a game at 111.5.
The Pistons have been rough on the Suns, too, winning both games last season and covering 13 of the last 16 at home versus Phoenix.