These two teams may be the biggest surprises in a talent-challenged Eastern Conference. Detroit and Chicago have pushed above their weight class this year and have been a thorn in the side of the Eastern elite teams. We’ll break down our thoughts on the game, which way we expect it to go, and our favorite betting lines!
This will be a tail of two cities. Both are rising, starting with a vastly different war chest of tools. Chicago's aggression has been apparent this year, pushing the pace in every game. Their ability to get up the court and attack the rim early in the shot clock has been unparalleled; with a roster of talented fast guards like Zach LaVine, Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunm, their guard rotation is deep. However, one of the most significant impacts on their pace this year came from the center position. Nikola Vucevic has been an anchor for this young roster. He’s been averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 44% from 3! The 34-year-old vet is showing why he remains a top center in the league even after 13 years.
On the other side of the court, the Pistons finally see success. After what could be one of the biggest disappointments in league history last year, the talent is finally shining through! J.B. Bickerstaff, alongside the additions of some veteran talent like Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway, has helped this young roster find itself. Cade Cunningham has been one of our favorite players this year. His game continues to improve as he finds his spot on offense more constantly and creates offense for his teammates. He’s been a challenge for defenses to slow down, and taking on the Bulls, he’ll likely be an issue. We think they can slow him down scoring, but his ability to move the ball and the fact that this Bulls team lacks a solid defensive core will still make Cade challenging. We Think the Pistons will take tonight's game regardless, but it will be a close matchup.
Zach LaVine 25+ Points: LaVine looks like he’s back to 22-23 LaVine. He’s been stellar this year as a scorer while racking up some boards and assists. Going against Detroit, he should easily find his spot against a vulnerable backcourt. With the way LaVine has been up and down scoring, we’ll know early in this game if this line will hit!
Cade Cunningham Under 23.5 Points: Cade Cunningham has consistently scored more this year but hasn’t been putting up massive games. He’s averaging 22 points a game in November, with only two games over 24 points. This Bulls backcourt isn’t known for its defense, but with some size the throw at Cade, there is a real shot. Cade will stay under 24 points tonight.
Nikola Vucevic Total Combined Points + Rebounds + Assists 30+ : Vuvevic has been excellent this year. He’s been averaging nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, tacking on at least 3 assists, too. Going against some explosive big man down low, specifically Jalen Duren, Vucevic might struggle to get his points, but with the way he’s shot the three, it might not matter. We think Vuc will rack up the box score again tonight.
Jalen Duren 2+ Blocks: We love the pace this Bulls team plays with, but this leads to a lot of action towards the paint, which is exactly where Duren thrives. With most of the scoring for Chicago coming from 6’5 guards, it’s well with in Duren’s ability to get at least 2 blocks tonight. Unless the big man gets through early, this might be our lock of this game!