Dallas -6.5 at Detroit O/U 182.5
Recommendation: Dallas
It’s very difficult to back the Pistons and their list of negatives at this point. The team is in a horrendous scoring slump averaging 76 ppg over their last four contests. They are playing tonight for the fourth time in five days and shorthanded to boot with Rodney Stuckey (30.5 min pg, 10.8 ppg, team leading 4.8 apg) and Charlie Villanueva nursing injuries. Detroit has lost its last four games by 16, 23, 23 and 16 points. Compounding their potential fatigue issue this evening is the fact that Dallas is finally rested having the previous two days off for the first time this season. Dallas has bounced back from a rough 1-4 start by going 3-1 its last four and covering the pointspread in all three victories. The temporary loss of point guard Jason Kidd (lower back injury) isn’t likely to bother the Mavericks much in this game as veteran Delonte West, who is an exceptional defender, can check Pistons rookie starter Brandon Knight. West also fit in well offensively last Saturday night scoring 12 points and dishing out four assists. Dallas’ depth (also recently added PF Yi Jianlian) should be a major factor here. Dallas now views every game (especially the winnable ones) as must wins because of their slow start in this shortened season. Figure them to get this one rather easily.
