NBA: Detroit Pistons vs Houston Rockets Prediction 1/1/2024
PublishedJanuary 1, 2024,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:January 1, 2024 , ,

NBA: Detroit Pistons vs Houston Rockets Prediction 1/1/2024

The Detroit Pistons (3-29) travel to face off against the Houston Rockets (15-15) on Monday, January 1st. This game will be played at Toyota Center. The Pistons are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rockets are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Raptors. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Pistons vs Rockets

The Pistons Are Coming Off A Windetroit pistons

The Pistons picked up a win over the Raptors in their latest game, finishing with a score of 129-127. Heading into the second half, the Pistons were leading 52-44.

Coming into today’s game, the Pistons are 3-29 overall and will be looking to pull off an upset as +8.5 point underdogs. In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons are 15th and are 5th in the Central division.

Detroit’s ATS record sits below .500 (12-19). Currently, the Pistons are on a three game ATS win streak when they are underdogs, and they are 0-3 vs. the spread as favorites.

The Rockets Look To Bounce Back From A Losshouston rockets nba

In the game against the 76ers, Fred VanVleet was the top scorer for Houston, recording 33 points. His field goal percentage for the game was 53.8%. Jalen Green added 31 points, but unfortunately, Houston was defeated in the game with a score of 131-127.

Coming into their game against the Pistons, the Rockets are looking to get above .500. So far, the Rockets are 15-15 overall. When playing on the road, the Rockets are 3-10 compared to a 12-5 record at home.

Houston has an ATS record of 18-11 so far this season which includes their current three game losing streak vs. the spread. This season, Houston has a 7-2 record against the spread when they are the favorites, and they are 11-9 as underdogs.

Pistons Offense Breakdown

This season, the Detroit offense is ranked 27th in the NBA in scoring at 110.3 points per game. So far, Detroit is averaging 100.3 possessions per game, making them one of the more up-tempo teams in the league. If the Pistons are going to turn things around on offense, they must improve their overall shooting efficiency. In particular, the 3-point shot has been problematic for the unit, as they are just 28th in 3-point shooting percentage.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

The Rockets come into today’s game as the 23rd ranked scoring offense at 112.3 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Rockets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.3 made 3’s per game. If the Houston offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 9th in fewest turnovers per game.

Pistons Team Defense

At present, the Pistons’ defense is ranked 25th, allowing 121.2 points per game. Inside the arc, the Pistons defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 54.8% and 38.0% from three-point territory.

Rockets Team Defense

So far, the Rockets defense is giving up 109.7 points per contest, which has them sitting 2nd in the NBA. One thing to note, is they have given up more points than their season average in seven straight matchups. Opponents are hitting 53.6% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 32.1% of their three-point attempts.

Key Players For The Pistons And Rockets

In today’s game, our projections have Cade Cunningham leading the Pistons with 21 points on 8/18 shooting from the field. For the season, he has been averaging 23.5 points per game, in addition to 4.1 rebounds.

On the other side, Fred VanVleet is our projected leading scorer for the Rockets. We have him ending the game with a team-high 19 and grabbing 4 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 39.9%, and he is contributing 17.4 points per game on average.

Pistons vs Rockets Trends

  • Across their five previous road games, Detroit has an ATS mark of 2-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 0-5 while averaging 113 points per game.
  • In their last ten games at home, the Rockets have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 5-4-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 112 points per game in this stretch.
  • As the betting underdog, the Pistons have an ATS mark of just 4-6 in their last ten games. Detroit posted a straight up mark of 1-9 in these matchups.
  • The last three games that Houston was favored, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.

Pistons vs Rockets Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +8.5, we recommend going with the Pistons on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 227.5, and our model projects the Pistons and Rockets to reach a combined total of 253 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.