Celtics vs. Pistons Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
-
Nik Kowalski
It’s been tough sledding for the Detroit Pistons thus far, starting the 2020–21 season winless after four games. To start the new calendar year they’re welcoming Boston, one of the East’s top teams, in hopes to leave 2020 behind. The Celtics have started out 3-2, riding a two-game win streak with wins over the Pacers and Grizzlies.
Offseason acquisition Jerami Grant’s had a hot start for the Pistons, but nothing compared to Jaylen Brown who’s currently tied for seventh in NBA scoring.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Friday’s match is the first of a two-game series in Detroit, a common occurrence in this year’s condensed NBA schedule. Boston’s recently wrapped a two-game series in Indiana, splitting the two games. This is Detroit’s first mini-series of their young season.
Little Caesars Arena has been quite kind to the Celtics, who have covered in six of their last seven games in the Motor City. Boston will still be without point guard Kemba Walker on Friday, but the Pistons could be without a key player too as Blake Griffin is dealing with a concussion suffered earlier in the week.
The Pistons have also dropped 13 straight against the Eastern Conference.
Boston Celtics
Brown’s career-high 42-point outing Wednesday allowed the Celtics to climb back above .500 on the season, defeating the Grizzlies at home by 19. Brown’s production, which included seven made threes in the first half, was even more impressive considering he sat out the entire fourth quarter. Brown’s shooting a remarkable 56.3 percent from the field through five games.
His hot shooting has helped Boston rank sixth in team three-point percentage, they also rank in the top 10 in overall field goal percentage as well as rebounds per game.
Tristan Thompson’s been a key factor into these categories too as the big man is shooting 56 per cent from the field with 8.5 rebounds per game.
Detroit Pistons
An 0-4 start for the Pistons is underwhelming, but things aren’t so bad in Detroit just yet. Grant’s been their pleasant surprise; the 26-year-old’s career high in points per game is 13.6 but through his first four games he’s averaging 22.8 and has led Detroit in scoring three times.
The Pistons’ bigger problems remain on defence, where they are averaging 120 points against and an opponents’ field goal percentage of 48. Both rank in the bottom six in the NBA, and this is coming off a season where Detroit ranked third-worst in opponents’ field goal percentage.
Detroit was busy in the off-season, adding Grant along with Mason Plumlee, Jahlil Okafor, Josh Jackson, and Delon Weight — the team’s top five shooters so far. Now it becomes a matter of tightening up on defence.
BOS
DET