Pistons vs Nets Picks and Predictions: Cunningham Shines Despite Brooklyn Dominance

The Detroit Pistons have lost eight of their last 10 games and now face a Brooklyn Nets team that should be motivated to get back into the win column after an upset loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. 

Will Detroit find a way to hang around at the Barclays Center? You’ll need to keep reading our Pistons vs. Nets NBA betting picks and predictions to find out.

Pistons vs Nets odds

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

The Nets opened as 13-point favorites. Brooklyn is now laying 14 on most sportsbooks, with one still hanging at Nets -13.5. The total movement has been even crazier, as it opened at 229 and can be found between 233.5 and 234.5 at the time of this writing.

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.

Pistons vs Nets predictions

• Prediction: Nets -13.5 (-110)
• Prediction: Over 233.5 (-110)
• Best bet: Cunningham Over 6.5 assists (-105)

Predictions made on 3/29/2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Pistons vs Nets game info

• Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
• Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: YES, Bally Sports Detroit

Pistons vs Nets betting preview

Key injuries

Pistons: Isaiah Livers F (Out), Jerami Grant F (Out), Hamidou Diallo G (Out), Chris Smith F (Out).
Nets: Andre Drummond C (Probable), Joe Harris F (Out), Ben Simmons F (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Nets are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games following an ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Nets.

Pistons vs Nets picks and predictions

Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.

Spread analysis

Brooklyn is 4-0 against the spread when coming off of an ATS loss this year, and the team is also 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine games playing on one day’s rest. On top of that, Detroit is just 15-25 ATS when facing an opponent that has already beaten them twice this season. The Pistons have lost those double-revenge games by an average of 10.9 points per game, so it’s not like they’re learning from their previous defeats. With an NBA low 20 total wins, this isn't exactly surprising.

This game really has the potential to get rather ugly, as the Nets put their elite offense up against a Pistons team that is miserable on the defensive end. Detroit is just 24th in the league in defensive rating, and the squad is missing some much-needed length with Jerami Grant out for the rest of the season with a strained left calf. With that, it’s very hard to see the Pistons finding a way to stop Kevin Durant in this game, and the team also doesn’t have anybody capable of slowing Kyrie Irving — now available in home games — down. Killian Hayes is a solid defender, but he’s more of a smart team defender than a guy with the athleticism to shut down a shifty superstar like Irving. Look for both Nets stars to really cook, opening up opportunities for guys like Patty Mills and Seth Curry to drill open threes. 

Defensively, the Nets will just need to stay at home on Saddiq Bey, who is capable of getting extremely hot from the outside. Cade Cunningham will put up his numbers, but it’s the Pistons' outside shooting that the Nets will be worried about. Overall, it’s not a team that is great from behind the three-point line, so Brooklyn should be in for a huge win as long as Detroit isn’t uncharacteristically hot from deep. 

Prediction: Nets -13.5 (-110)

Over/Under analysis

There are still some books hanging this number at 233.5, but it’s mostly up at 234 or 234.5. With that, you’ll want to jump on the lowest number possible, but this should still go Over the total as long as it doesn't get wildly out of control.

As mentioned earlier, this Pistons team just doesn’t have what it takes to get stops against the Nets, even if they're coming off a game where they shot only 44.3% from the floor against the Hornets. Brooklyn had shot better than 45% from the floor in 12 straight before that dud, so that loss to Charlotte looks anomalous in context.

The Over is actually 6-2 in the last eight games the Pistons have played as road underdogs this season, and it’s also 4-1 in the last five games in which the Nets have played with one day of rest. On top of that, the Over is 7-3-1 in the last 11 games in which Brooklyn is coming off of an ATS loss. 

Prediction: Over 233.5 (-110)

Best bet

Cade Cunningham has looked more and more comfortable as the season has gone on, and the rookie is showing everybody why the Pistons chose him with the first overall pick in last summer's draft. Cunningham always looked like a future star as a jumbo playmaker with the ability to score and defend. He’s a player who loves to set his teammates up, and that has shown in the last couple of weeks. 

Cunningham has recorded seven or more assists in each of his last five games, and seven is all he would need to hit his Over on the assist total tonight. Considering this game’s total continues to rise, it should be a high-scoring affair when these two take the floor. With that in mind, somebody is going to have to make plays for Detroit, and that figures to be Cunningham with Grant sidelined. Look for the rookie to have the ball in his hands a lot, and don’t be shocked if he flirts with a triple-double.  

Pick: Cade Cunningham Over 6.5 Assists (-105)

Pages related to this topic