Cavaliers vs Pistons Picks and Predictions: Allen Does His Part

After the All-Star break, NBA betting is back on Thursday with seven games on the board including an Eastern Conference matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

The Cavs have been a pleasant surprise for ATS bettors this season and enter this contest as 6-point favorites despite a depleted backcourt.

Here are our best free Cavaliers vs. Pistons NBA picks and predictions for Thursday, February 24.

Cavaliers vs Pistons odds

This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.

This line hit the board with Cleveland at -6 with the Over/Under at 208.5. As of 1:15 p.m. ET both the spread and total have stayed steady. When these teams previously clashed 25 days ago, the Pistons won 115-105, covering the spread as 7.5-point home underdogs.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Cavaliers vs Pistons predictions

• Prediction: Pistons +6 (-110)
• Prediction: Over 208.5 (-110)
• Best bet: Allen Over 10.5 rebounds (-121)

Predictions made on 2/24/2022 at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Cavaliers vs Pistons game info

• Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
• Date: Thursday, February 24, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Detroit

Cavaliers vs Pistons betting preview

Key injuries

Cavaliers: Lauri Markkanen PF (Probable), Darius Garland PG (Out), Caris LeVert SG (Out), Collin Sexton PG (Out).
Pistons: Frank Jackson PG (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Cavaliers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.

Cavaliers vs Pistons picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Spread analysis

The Cavs have been one of the league's best bets this season, going 34-21-3 ATS and sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 35-23 record — already boasting 13 more wins than all of last season. 

A big reason for that turnaround has been due to their size with rookie Evan Mobley, first-time All-Star Jarrett Allen, and Lauri Markkanen giving them three seven-footers in their starting lineup. They'll need those big men to come through tonight with All-Star point guard Darius Garland and recently acquired shooting guard Caris LeVert ruled out with injuries. 

The Cavs went into the All-Star break coming off back-to-back losses. And they played a four-game stretch at the start of the month without Garland where they struggled offensively, averaging just 99.3 points per game despite playing against four of the worst defensive units in the league.

They also lost 115-105 in Detroit on January 30, despite the Pistons playing without leading scorer Jerami Grant. Grant is back in the lineup and paced the Pistons with 24 points when they upset the Celtics in their last game before the break. Rookie Cade Cunningham also excelled against Boston, dropping 20 points with six assists, and he recorded his second career triple-double in that previous meeting versus Cleveland.  

Detroit is one of the league's worst teams and has gone just 1-8 SU and 2-7 ATS in their last nine games. That said, the Pistons should have a slim edge when it comes to perimeter play and that along with home-court advantage has us leaning towards them with the points.  

Prediction: Pistons +6 (-110)

Over/Under analysis

The Cavs haven't just been one of the league's best ATS bets this season, they've also been a profitable play for Under bettors thanks to a slow pace and the league's best scoring defense. 

That said, oddsmakers seem to have adjusted and we've seen some very low totals in Cleveland contests in recent weeks. The Over is 7-2 in their last nine games on the road while going 8-1-1 in their previous 10 contests against teams with a losing record. 

The Pistons play at a quicker tempo and rank just 27th in the league in scoring defense by surrendering 112.6 ppg, with that number jumping up to 118.9 ppg in their last eight games. 

Meanwhile, the Cavs have regressed defensively recently, giving up 113.3 ppg on 49.6 FG% in their last three games. With the total set at just 208.5, the Over looks like the play.

Prediction: Over 208.5 (-110)

Best bet

While we're leaning towards Detroit on the spread, do you really want to bet on the Pistons? Didn't think so. So let's look to the player props for our best bet. Allen in particular has been a force for Cleveland this season averaging 11 rebounds per game. 

While Allen pulled down a total of just 12 boards in his last two games, he had racked up at least 14 boards in his previous four contests.

Now he faces off against a Detroit team that ranks dead-last in the NBA in rebounding rate. Look for Allen to take advantage of a weak Detroit frontcourt and take the Over 10.5 on his rebounds total. 

Pick: Jarrett Allen Over 10.5 rebounds (-121)

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