It will be a potential NBA Finals preview when the Detroit Pistons host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. Los Angeles is obviously a longshot to make that happen, but it is playing great basketball at the moment. A nine-game Lakers winning streak will be put to the test against the Pistons, who are atop the Eastern Conference.
Let’s dive into my Lakers vs. Pistons prediction.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons odds
Money line: Lakers -130 / Pistons +110
Spread: Lakers -2 (-110) / Pistons -2 (-110)
Total: Over 226.5 (-110) / Under 226.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons best bet #1: Lakers -2 (-110)
Cade Cunningham is sidelined indefinitely with a collapsed young, and it remains to be seen how the Pistons will fare without him. They are 3-0 so far, but two of those wins have come against Washington and the other against a very depleted Golden State team. There is doubt, however, about the Lakers’ current nine-game winning streak. Among the scalps during this hot stretch are New York, Minnesota, Denver, Houston (twice), Miami, and Orlando. Seven of the nine wins have come by eight points or more. Luka Doncic has been especially on fire for L.A. He has led his team in scoring in 16 of the last 17 contests, including a 60-point barrage against the Heat last Thursday. Doncic has reached the 30-point mark in nine straight games. The Lakers are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine overall; the Pistons are 6-10 ATS in their last 16 games and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 at home.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons best bet #2: Over 226.5 (-110)
Los Angeles and Detroit previously went head-to-head on December 30, when 234 total points were scored during a Pistons win. The two teams could have scored even more, as there were 66 points in the first quarter and 136 at the half before both the Lakers and Pistons called off the dogs during the fourth quarter of a lopsided affair. Doncic may be leading Los Angeles in scoring basically all the time, but he isn’t doing it alone. Nor does he have to. Austin Reaves has scored 25 points or more in five of the last eight outings. In the last three, LeBron James has one triple-double and one 30-point effort. The over is 7-2-1 in the last nine H2H and 5-2 in the Pistons’ last seven games.