This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
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Pistons vs. Wizards: Pistons to cover -6.5 spread +110 @ bet365
The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards are two Eastern Conference franchises going through different paths in their rebuilding processes. Even though both were among the worst teams in the league in 2023-24, the Pistons have taken a few steps forward to improve their roster in 2024-25. On the other hand, the Wizards seem perfectly happy with another year or two of a total rebuild before trying to compete for a playoff spot.
Their records back that up, as the Pistons have gone 6-8 while the Wizards are 2-9, being one of three teams in the East with a winning percentage below .200. Detroit also has the edge over the Wizards in terms of collective and individual comparisons. The Pistons are more efficient on both ends of the court and have two players who can swing the game in their favor -- Cade Cunningham and Malik Beasley. The latter has been playing at an extremely high level in recent games, averaging 20.8 points per game and shooting 44.4 percent from three in his last five outings. The Wizards can rely on Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma, but they don't have much else to go up against a Pistons team that seems to be headed in the right direction. Expect the Pistons to win this game by a decent margin while covering a -6.5 spread.
Hornets vs. Cavaliers: Darius Garland over 21.5 points -115 @ bet365
The Cavaliers remain the lone undefeated team in the NBA this season, and they have to lose at some point… right? Well, that's not going to happen this Sunday. Not against a Hornets team that will be playing in the second half of a back-to-back and that had to give it all on the court, and then some, to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday by a tight 115-114 score. The Hornets will be tired, and playing on the road after doing so at home in the first half of this back-to-back set might be too much for Charlotte.
The Cavaliers should cruise their way to victory with ease in this game, but instead of going with the ML or the spread, which is already sitting at double digits for Cleveland, we'll back up Garland to have an outstanding game. The floor general could enjoy a dominant performance Sunday, as the Hornets aren't known for their backcourt defense, but also because Cleveland will be without Donovan Mitchell (rest) and because of the uncertainty regarding the availability of Evan Mobley (illness). Thus, Garland should enjoy an uptick in his usage rate, which should translate to a strong showing on offense. Garland endured a slow start to the campaign but has been picking things up of late, scoring 20 or more points in four of his last five outings while reaching the 25-point mark thrice in that span. Expect that trend to continue here, with Garland being a solid pick to lead the Cavs to their 15th consecutive win in 2024-25.
Nets vs. Knicks: Over 219.5 total points -110 @ bet365
The Nets will be close to full strength for Sunday's revenge against the Knicks, but the same can't be said about New York. Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is questionable, and the same goes for Miles McBride (illness), so the Knicks might be without two of their best offensive players for this rivalry matchup. However, the Knicks will have Jalen Brunson, while the Nets will counter with Cam Thomas. This means we could be in line for another explosive matchup, just like their Friday meeting, which ended with a tight 124-122 win for the Knicks.
The Nets are looking to avenge that defeat, while the Knicks are looking to gain some momentum following a disappointing start to the campaign that has them with a 6-6 record. Even though not having Towns limits the Knicks' offensive potential, this game could easily be another high-scoring matchup. The over has hit in 58.3 percent of the Knicks' games and 53.9 percent of the Nets' contests so far in 2024-25. The 219.5 figure is relatively low, especially when considering that the Knicks average 118.0 points per game at home, and the Nets average 111.9 points per game overall. The game might not be as high scoring as Friday's, but it should surpass the mark of 220 total points with relative ease.
