Portland Trail Blazers vs. Detroit Pistons Betting Preview
Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills — Detroit, Michigan
When: Tuesday, February 28, 2017 – 7:30 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (+4.5) vs. Detroit Pistons (-4.5); total: 214.0 – view all NBA lines
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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (24-34)
Despite being just a couple of games away from the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, there’s no denying that the Blazers are having a dismal season. They are under the .500 mark for almost three months now and will enter the contest having lost four of their last seven (1-6 ATS). In the recent defeat, they bowed to the new-look Raptors, 112-106, and allowed a 54 percent shooting clip – the highest they have permitted against any East team all year.
“Rip City” last faced the Pistons a little over a month ago, where both squads engaged in an entertaining 125-124 double-OT battle. CJ McCollum posted a game-high 35 points, while second-stringer Allen Crabbe had a season-high 30 points and went for a perfect 5-for-5 from downtown.
McCollum (23.3 PPG) and the team’s main option, Damian Lillard (25.9 PPG, 5.8 APG), will have to start pouring more moving forward (as if they aren’t doing that already. right?), because Portland doesn’t really have much else to offer besides the two. They’ve been carrying the team on their backs by consistently being one of the most high-scoring backcourts in the league since last season, and pretty soon they’ll have chronic back spasms because of it.
Portland is decent on offense (107.3 PPG, ninth overall), but their defense is horrible, as they are 26th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.
Betting on the Detroit Pistons (28-31)
The Pistons will be coming off a hard-fought, 104-98 loss to the Celtics. All of coach Stan Van Gundy’s starters scored in double figures, but Isaiah Thomas was able to flame their defense for 33 points and five threes.
Everything’s fine so far, though. Detroit is clinging to the eighth seed in the East, and they are still in good rhythm, thanks to a respectable 7-4 record in their last 11 games (SU and ATS). Additionally, they are 6-2 at home this February (also SU and ATS).
In the said previous meeting with the Blazers, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were quite big for the team. The trio combined for 85 of the team’s 125 points and collectively shot 58.3 percent from the floor. They should be able to repeat those performances on Tuesday, although the Pistons offense can be very unpredictable, as evidenced by having six players average 11 or more points – five of the six are getting 12-plus shots per game.
Detroit is only 26th in scoring (101.4 PPG), but they are top seven in points allowed and defensive efficiency. They give up the fewest offensive rebounds (8.2) and fourth-fewest threes (8.8) on the season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Pistons (-4.5) win, 106-102.
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