The Los Angeles Clippers (32-29) and Detroit Pistons (35-27) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The game will broadcast live on FDSSC and NBA League Pass.
The Pistons are 4-point favorites over the Clippers on the spread (Pistons -4), with the over/under set at 219.5 total points. Detroit is a -175 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +145 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Pistons vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Wednesday, March 5.
Pistons vs Clippers Prediction, Picks
Spread
My Pistons vs. Clippers best bet is on Detroit to cover the spread at -4.5, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. As always, be sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in tonight's matchup.
My Pick: Pistons -4 (-110)
Pistons vs Clippers Odds, Lines, Spread
| Pistons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 219.5 -110o / -110u | -175 |
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 219.5 -110o / -110u | +145 |
- Pistons vs. Clippers spread: Pistons -4
- Pistons vs. Clippers over/under: 219.5 total points
- Pistons vs. Clippers moneyline: Pistons -175, Clippers +145
- Pistons vs. Clippers best bet: Pistons -4 (-110)
Detroit Pistons vs Los Angeles Clippers NBA Preview
Entering this season, the Pistons had +670 odds to win 35 games. They cashed that ticket on Monday night with a 134-109 victory over the Jazz. With 20 games left to go, the Pistons have already improved by 21 games over last year’s win total. Their historic turnaround can be traced back to the last few months.
Over their last 30 games, the Pistons are 21-9 while ranking 11th in offensive rating, first in defensive rating, and fourth in net rating. They enter tonight's game having won 10 of their last 11 games while posting a +14.8 net rating, the second-best mark in the league in that span. All-Star Cade Cunningham has led the turnaround and is now the heavy favorite to win the Most Improved Player award. However, he has not been alone.
Center Jalen Duren has upped his defensive intensity while providing vertical spacing and playmaking. He is averaging 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Ausar Thompson is emerging as one of the league's young defensive stoppers and is averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.5 steals over his last 15 games.
Cunningham (1st), Thompson (5th), and Duren (13th) were all lottery picks, but Malik Beasley has been just as essential and one of the best bargain signings of last offseason. Beasley is averaging 16.6 points (second-most in his career) while shooting 42.2% from three on 9.5 attempts per game, both career-highs. Beasley has at least three triples in 19 of his last 20 games.
After opening their road trip with an easy win over the Jazz, the difficulty will pick up with games against the Clippers, Warriors, and Trail Blazers. However, they will get the Clippers traveling back home on the second night of a back-to-back and shorthanded. The Clippers had a chance to cruise to a comfortable victory last night and get some rest for their starters in the fourth quarter. Instead, they blew a 23-point second-half lead as the Suns rallied for a 119-117 victory.
Center Ivica Zubac took advantage of Phoenix's thin frontcourt and scored a career-high 35 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Head coach Tyronn Lue might need a repeat performance from him as Kawhi Leonard will be resting tonight on the second night of a back-to-back. The team will also be without Norm Powell again as he continues to battle his hamstring injury and is out for at least 10 days. The injury will also likely remove Powell as a factor for the Most Improved Player as he has already missed 15 games this season.
Pistons vs Clippers Best Bets
The Pistons snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Clippers with a 106-97 victory last Monday. Aside from location, that game had similar circumstances, as the Clippers were coming off a loss to the Pacers and on the second night of a back-to-back without Leonard and Powell. On their eight-game road trip, the Clippers went 2-6 straight up and 0-8 against the spread. They are also 4-8 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back.
While they will get a boost being back at the Intuit Dome, they will face a Pistons team playing with a lot of confidence right now. The Pistons are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games. They have also been a better road team this season, with an 18-13 record on the road compared to 17-14 at home. They are 8-2 ATS as road favorites. The trends and the eye test match, as the Pistons have been the better team of late, and they are the side I'll be backing against the spread and for most of tonight's same-game parlay.
Duren has recorded a double-double in 14 of his last 20 games and in four of his five career games against the Clippers. He had 12 points and 19 rebounds in last week's game. His counterpart, Zubac, had 15 rebounds in that game. He has recorded 10 rebounds in each of his last five games and is fourth in the NBA in rebounds per game. He has also scored 10 points or more in nine of his last 10 games without Leonard and Powell.
Thompson has recorded a steal in nine of his last 10 games and finished with two steals in seven of them. Tonight, he should be guarding James Harden, who averages 4.5 turnovers per game. Thompson had four steals in the last meeting. Combining Duren, Zubac, and Thompson with Beasley for three triples gets us to almost +260 odds.
Clippers vs. Pistons Best Bet
- Pistons -4 (-110)
Same Game Parlay Picks
