The Toronto Raptors (42-32) and Detroit Pistons (54-21) will square off in the NBA this Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Pistons are 3-point favorites over the Raptors on the spread (Pistons -3), with the over/under set at 219.5 total points. Detroit is a -158 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Toronto is +134 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Raptors vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, March 31.
Raptors vs Pistons Prediction
Raptors vs Pistons pick: Daniss Jenkins Under 21.5 Points & Assists (-120)
My Pistons vs. Raptors best bet is on Daniss Jenkins to combine for under 21.5 points and assists. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Raptors vs Pistons NBA Odds
| Raptors Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -110 | 219.5 -114o / -106u | +134 |
| Pistons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -110 | 219.5 -114o / -106u | -158 |
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Toronto Raptors vs Detroit Pistons Preview
Toronto's decision to remain patient with Brandon Ingram is paying off following an ankle injury that sidelined him after his midseason trade last year. Ingram's addition provided a massive boost to a Raptors team that has already cleared its preseason win total of 39.5.
While the team always liked the idea of having rangy players in their lineup, Toronto lacked a veteran presence with Ingram's scoring ability. His 21.4 points per game are a team-best, and his length at 6-foot-8 means the Raptors have four players in their lineup who can potentially guard all five positions.
Raptors' guard Immanuel Quickley (6-foot-2) is the only player in the starting lineup shorter than 6-foot-6. As a result, it's no surprise that their length has led to their transformation as one of the best defensive teams in the league, ranking sixth in efficiency with a 112.1 rating.
Toronto does a good job of controlling the pace. It averages 99.4 possessions per game on the road, nearly identical to its pace at home (99.26). Those numbers suggest that this is a team you can't necessarily speed up, and Quickley deserves a ton of credit for how he runs the offense.
He was initially more of an off-guard since entering the league. He shot 37.5% from the perimeter in his four seasons with the Knicks, and even when he averaged a career-high in minutes (28.9) with New York, he only managed 3.4 assists per game.
Since joining the Raptors, Quickley is averaging 6.2 assists, while increasing his scoring average from 13 points to 17.5 per game.
Unfortunately, he'll miss his fifth straight game due to a foot injury as the Raptors might find things difficult against a Detroit team that's been one of the biggest surprises of the campaign.
Not sure many would have predicted this Pistons team would be leading the Eastern Conference by four games over the Celtics. Detroit is one of the most balanced teams in the league, ranking in the top 10 for both offensive (ninth-116.8) and defensive (second-108.6) efficiency.
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff deserves a ton of credit for transforming a team that won just 14 games in the season before his arrival. In his first year with the Pistons, they won 44 games, and now have 54 victories in his second season.
An injury to Cade Cunningham, the team's best player, still isn't enough to slow down Detroit. The Pistons are 10-4 this season without their star point guard and have an average margin of -3.3 points in those defeats.
Detroit recently went to OKC and gave the Thunder all they could handle by forcing overtime after trailing by as many as 15 points.
Although the Pistons ultimately lost 114-110, it's worth noting that, in addition to Cunningham, they were also without key players such as Jalen Duren (19.3 PPG), Tobias Harris (13.4 PPG), Duncan Robinson (11.9 PPG) and Isaiah Stewart (10.0 PPG).
Therefore, the Pistons didn't have their top five scorers and still managed to give the reigning NBA champions quite a scare. All four players, except Cunningham, could return on Tuesday night when the Pistons host the Raptors.
Raptors vs Pistons Picks, Betting Predictions
Despite being undervalued for the most part this season, the Pistons are only 39-36 against the spread (ATS). They've particularly struggled as a favorite (37-34) compared to when they're installed as underdogs (12-2) by the bookmakers.
This is an interesting spot for Detroit, on short rest after an overtime away loss. However, this season, teams in this exact spot are an impressive 7-1 ATS.
But as much as I like those numbers, there's another angle that could prove to be even more promising.
Given the defensive qualities of both teams, it's not entirely surprising to see the total bet down from 224.5 to as low as 219.5.
A lower-scoring game would align with Pistons backup point guard, Daniss Jenkins, staying under his points+assists prop of 21.5.
Jenkins has failed to cover this line in 19 straight games when facing a top-10 defensive team. An additional five minutes of overtime against the Thunder still wasn't enough for Jenkins to clear this line.
If the Raptors can control the pace, they should limit the backup point guard's ability to create for his teammates.
Duren's potential return means the Pistons will likely run their offense through their second-leading scorer, which would take some scoring opportunities away from Jenkins.
After shopping around, FanDuel has the best odds available with the under priced at -118.
Raptors vs Pistons Best Bet
- Daniss Jenkins Under 21.5 Points & Assists (-120)
Raptors vs Pistons Betting Trends
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