Heat vs. Pistons prediction, odds, pick for NBA Cup 2024
11/11/2024 09:00 PM
The Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons are in the Eastern Conference’s Group B for the NBA Cup. The Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Toronto Raptors join the group. The Heat defeated the Pistons 106-98 in Detroit in their first meeting of the season and have won nine of their past ten meetings. It’s time to continue our NBA Cup odds series with a Heat-Pistons prediction and pick.
The Heat participated in the 2023 version of the in-season tournament with the Bucks, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards in their group. Miami finished out of the knockout stage, as the Bucks and Knicks advanced with a 4-0 and 3-1 record, respectively. The Heat finished 2-2 and in third place.
The Pistons played against the Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Atlanta Hawks. Detroit was winless in the NBA Cup last season, losing by a combined 45 points over four games. The Pacers were the only team out to advance to the knockout stage.
Here are the Heat-Pistons NBA Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Cup Odds: Heat-Pistons Odds
Miami Heat: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -130
Detroit Pistons: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +110
Over: 219.5 (-110)
Under: 219.5 (-110)
How To Watch Heat vs. Pistons
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Heat Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Heat won a game after a three-game losing streak through the beginning of November. Miami had dropped games to the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, and Denver Nuggets before they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. The Heat escaped with a 95-94 victory as 7.5-point underdogs, highlighted by an ugly end-of-game scenario for the Timberwolves. It hasn’t been an excellent run for the Heat, but they’ve been impressive against the spread, covering three of their past five games.
The Heat aren’t the most efficient team in the league, but they are sixth in three-point percentage with a 39% clip. The Pistons’ defensive system allows plenty of open looks from three, so knocking the opportunities down for Miami will be crucial to a victory.
Jimmy Butler will miss this game against the Pistons as he left Friday’s game against Minnesota.
Why the Pistons Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pistons are finally beginning to find their form, which has been a long time coming for fans of the franchise. Detroit had an ugly start to the season, but they’ve won three of their past five games. A loss to the Charlotte Hornets as a rare favorite was hard for the team to accept, but they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets as underdogs in the two games prior.
The Pistons’ defense and rebounding have been enormous reasons for optimism. They rank in the top ten in nearly every defensive category and are the fourth-best rebounding team in the league. The Pistons’ offense must improve before they begin contending in the Eastern Conference, but the defense will keep them in most games. The Heat rank 19th in the league with 109 points per game, but some efficiency numbers rank near the bottom.
Final Heat-Pistons Prediction & Pick
The Pistons have been sitting home since Friday after two games at Little Ceasars Arena over the weekend. Their victory over the Atlanta Hawks and close loss to the Houston Rockets showed a team ready for a better fate this season. The Pistons match up well with the Heat this season, and they could claim their first NBA Cup victory after going winless last season. The Pistons are a money-line possibility to win outright, but we’ll take them on the spread.
Final Heat-Pistons Prediction & Pick: Pistons +1.5 (-110)
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