Xam’s Daily Gems:
Pistons +6.5 -110
It goes without saying that the Pistons are not a good team. They have lost 26 straight games and are trying to avoid a historic 27th loss. It’s been nothing short of embarrassing in Detroit this year. However, they do have some talent on this team. Cade Cunningham, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Isaiah Stewart lead an underrated offensive attack. The issue isn’t the offense, as the Pistons have scored 111 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games. Their issues mostly reside on the defensive end. They just gave up 126 points to the Nets in their last game. The key here will be Detroit being able to play any semblance of defense. The Nets scored 108 points or less in their last 2 road games, and they’ve struggled on defense as well. The Pistons should be motivated to avoid history by losing their 27th in a row tonight.
Wizards +7.5 -110
The Wizards have had a very disappointing season so far, but their offensive output hasn’t been a big reason as to why. Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole have lead the way offensively, with Tyus Jones and Daniel Gifford proving to be solid contributors. The Wizards have scored 118 or more points in 5 of their last 6 games, yet they’re only 3-3 in that stretch. They simply don’t play well defensively, but being at home should help a little. They scored 125 points in Orlando when these teams met back in early December. Orlando has struggled on the offensive end recently, scoring 106 or less points in 3 of their last 6 games. It’s hard to expect that level of defense from the Wizards, but with their offensive capabilities, they only need to play a little defense to keep this one close.
Thunder Money Line -130
The Thunder would be the 3 seed in the Western Conference if the season ended today. They have been an elite offensive unit all year. The Thunder have scored 116 or more points in 9 of their last 10 games, and 126 or more points in 6 of those games! The Timberwolves have an explosive offense in their own right, but they’re not quite the same on the road. They have scored 113 or less points in 4 of their last 5 road games. They played better defense in their last game, but overall their defense leaves a lot to be desired. If the Thunder can get off to a good start and get the crowd into the game early, it can end up being a long day for Minnesota.