The Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers both enter Wednesday night in serious slumps. The Pistons have slid out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – they are ninth, a game behind the Brooklyn Nets – as they are just 4-14 in their last 18 contests. The Lakers have just four wins in their last 12 and have moved down to eighth in the West, 1.5 games ahead of the Sacramento Kings for the last playoff spot in the conference. The Lakers slump can at least be partially attributed to playing without LeBron James while the Pistons don’t really have any answers right now.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Pistons are 6-11 straight up on the road and 17-21 overall. There aren’t many positives to say about them but they are 12-3-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last 16 games against teams from the NBA Pacific Division and 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games versus the Western Conference. On the negative side, Detroit is 6-13 ATS in the last 19 road games versus opponents with winning home records.

The Lakers are 13-8 straight up at home and are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five home games versus opponents with road winning percentages under .400. On the down side, the Lakers, are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 games versus opponents with overall losing records.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have allowed at least 109 points in four of their last five games, which isn’t bad but given the challenges they’ve had at the other end of the court, this simply isn’t good enough. This is a team with injury problems as Henry Ellenson, Zaza Pachulia, Ish Smith, and Zach Lofton are all hurt – that’s a lot of bodies and a lot of depth coach Dwane Casey can’t count on in the middle of the NBA season. This is a time of year when teams need their depth to reduce the workload on the stars. Legs get very heavy and teams get tired in the weeks before the All-Star break in February.

As a result, this team has averaged a paltry 103.7 points per game over their last 15 contests, which is 26^th in the league. That’s a huge drop for a team that was 10^th in points per game in November. About the only good news is a road trip to face the Lakers, who are 16^th in the NBA in points per game allowed over the last 15 contests. That might give the Pistons a shot to compete here.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are learning how to live without LeBron James. It has been a very bumpy ride, shown in a bad home loss to the New York Knicks late last week, and then a 22-point loss to the scuffling Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. However, the Lakers did bounce back against Dallas on Monday with a 10-point win. That might get them into a better frame of mind and an improved rhythm as they try to coexist without the best basketball player on the planet.

The betting line here shows just how bad of shape the Lakers are in these days as they’re a slight favorite at home over a team that has lost 14 of their last 18. That’s because the Lakers have lost four of their last five at home. Even so, look for the Lakers to get it together here after getting embarrassed by the Knicks and find a way to edge out Detroit.

Injuries

Detroit

Luke Kennard (SG)

Prob Fri Foot - 04 / 04 / 19

Svi Mykhailiuk (SG)

Out indefinitely Finger - 03 / 04 / 19

Langston Galloway (SG)

Ques Mon Illness - 01 / 04 / 19

Luke Kennard (SG)

Prob Wed Foot - 01 / 04 / 19

Wayne Ellington (SG)

Prob Tues Illness - 26 / 03 / 19

Luke Kennard (SG)

Prob Sun Knee - 24 / 03 / 19

Thon Maker (PF)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 24 / 03 / 19

Reggie Jackson (PG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 16 / 03 / 19

Bruce Brown (PG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 14 / 03 / 19

Reggie Jackson (PG)

Prob Fri Ankle - 13 / 03 / 19

L.A. Lakers

Lance Stephenson (SG)

Ques Tues Foot - 09 / 04 / 19

Rajon Rondo (PG)

Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 19

Tyson Chandler (C)

Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Ques Tues Neck - 04 / 04 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Prob Tues Foot - 01 / 04 / 19

Tyson Chandler (C)

Ques Tues Flu - 26 / 03 / 19

Reggie Bullock (SG)

Prob Sun Foot - 24 / 03 / 19

Mike Muscala (PF)

Prob Fri Ankle - 22 / 03 / 19

Josh Hart (SG)

out for season Knee - 21 / 03 / 19

Josh Hart (SG)

Prob Tues Knee - 18 / 03 / 19

Injuries

Detroit

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Luke Kennard (SG)	Prob Fri	Foot - 04 / 04 / 19	1-7	3-5	+ -
Kennard is expected to suit up against the Thunder on Friday despite soreness in his right foot.
Svi Mykhailiuk (SG)	Out indefinitely	Finger - 03 / 04 / 19	1-8	4-5	+ -
Mykhailiuk will miss an undetermined length of time due to a fractured left index finger.
Langston Galloway (SG)	Ques Mon	Illness - 01 / 04 / 19	2-8	4-6	+ -
Galloway is under the weather and his status Monday against the Pacers is uncertain.
Luke Kennard (SG)	Prob Wed	Foot - 01 / 04 / 19	2-8	4-6	+ -
Kennard sat out the last game due to soreness in his right foot but is expected to play against the Pacers on Wednesday.
Wayne Ellington (SG)	Prob Tues	Illness - 26 / 03 / 19	5-8	6-7	+ -
Ellington is ailing from an illness but is expected to play Tuesday against the Nuggets.
Luke Kennard (SG)	Prob Sun	Knee - 24 / 03 / 19	6-8	7-8	+ -
Kennard is expected to play against the Warriors on Sunday despite left knee soreness.
Thon Maker (PF)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 24 / 03 / 19	6-8	7-8	+ -
Maker is dealing with right shoulder soreness but is likely to be available Sunday against the Warriors.
Reggie Jackson (PG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 16 / 03 / 19	8-9	9-9	+ -
Jackson is dealing with a sore ankle but will likely play Sunday against the Raptors.
Bruce Brown (PG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 14 / 03 / 19	8-10	9-10	+ -
Brown is likely to be in Friday's lineup versus the Lakers despite right ankle discomfort.
Reggie Jackson (PG)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 13 / 03 / 19	8-11	9-11	+ -
Jackson left the previous game due to right ankle discomfort but is expected to play against the Lakers on Friday.

L.A. Lakers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Lance Stephenson (SG)	Ques Tues	Foot - 09 / 04 / 19	1-0	1-0	+ -
Stephenson is battling a sore left foot and it is unclear if he will play against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Rajon Rondo (PG)	Out Tues	Rest - 08 / 04 / 19	2-0	2-0	+ -
Rondo will not participate in Tuesday's game against the Trail Blazers as he is to be rested.
Tyson Chandler (C)	Out Tues	Rest - 08 / 04 / 19	2-0	2-0	+ -
Chandler will not play against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday due to a day of rest.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Ques Tues	Neck - 04 / 04 / 19	2-2	2-2	+ -
Bullock has missed the previous three games with neck stiffness and has an unclear status Tuesday against the Trail Blazers.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Prob Tues	Foot - 01 / 04 / 19	3-2	3-2	+ -
Bullock is expected to suit up against the Thunder on Tuesday despite a plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Tyson Chandler (C)	Ques Tues	Flu - 26 / 03 / 19	7-2	4-5	+ -
Chandler has been idle due to flu-like symptoms and it is unclear if he will return against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
Reggie Bullock (SG)	Prob Sun	Foot - 24 / 03 / 19	7-3	4-6	+ -
Bullock has been held out of the previous four games with plantar fasciitis in his right foot but is expected to be available for Sunday's game against the Pelicans.
Mike Muscala (PF)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 22 / 03 / 19	7-4	4-7	+ -
Muscala has missed the past four games due to tibialis posterior tendonitis in his right ankle but is likely to return Friday against the Hornets.
Josh Hart (SG)	out for season	Knee - 21 / 03 / 19	7-4	4-7	+ -
Hart is recovering from a procedure on his right patellar tendon. He will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season.
Josh Hart (SG)	Prob Tues	Knee - 18 / 03 / 19	7-5	5-7	+ -
Hart is battling right knee tendinitis but is projected to face the Bucks on Tuesday.

Pistons vs. Lakers Prediction