The Saturday NBA schedule begins with an early afternoon battle at Little Caesars in Detroit. The Detroit Pistons host the Houston Rockets in a matchup of sub-.500 teams, with the Rockets at 9-20 and the Pistons at 4-23 this season. Jalen Green (hamstring), Danuel House (ankle) and Kevin Porter Jr. (thigh) are out for the Rockets, with Christian Wood (knee) listed as questionable. Jerami Grant (thumb) and Kelly Olynyk (knee) are out for the Pistons.
This noon ET tipoff is listed as a pick'em at Caesars Sportsbook. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 218 in the latest Rockets vs. Pistons odds. Before making any Pistons vs. Rockets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 9 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 44-20 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Rockets vs. Pistons, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pistons vs. Rockets:
- Rockets vs. Pistons spread: Pick'em
- Rockets vs. Pistons over-under: 218 points
- Rockets vs. Pistons money line: Pistons -110, Rockets -110
- HOU: The Rockets are 8-6-1 against the spread in road games
- DET: The Pistons are 6-7 against the spread in home games
Why the Rockets can cover
Houston has been a different team in recent days. Not only have the Rockets won eight of the last 12 contests, but the offense has dominated. Houston is scoring 116.2 points per 100 possessions over the last 12 games, ranking in the top five of the NBA in offensive efficiency. The Rockets are securing 30.1 percent of their own missed shots on the offensive glass during that span while posting a 59.9 percent true shooting mark and assisting on a whopping 67.9 percent of field goals on offense.
Eric Gordon has been a huge part of that uptick, averaging 19.2 points per game in the last six contests while shooting 55 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point distance. For the full season, the Rockets lead the NBA in free-throw attempts, averaging 24.1 per game, and Houston ranks in the top 10 in the NBA in 3-pointers (12.8 per game), second-chance points (14.6 per game) and points in the paint (48.1 per game). Detroit is last in the NBA in field-goal percentage allowed on the defensive end, setting Houston up for further offensive success.
Why the Pistons can cover
Detroit is led by No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. The talented rookie is scoring 22.1 points and securing 5.6 rebounds per game in the last seven contests, shooting 50 percent from 3-point range over that sample. As a team, the Pistons are in the top eight of the NBA in free-throw volume (21.6 attempts per game) and free-throw accuracy (79.1 percent), with the Rockets entering with the second-worst defensive free-throw rate in the league.
Detroit also creates 15.7 turnovers per game on defense, ranking No. 4 in the NBA, and Houston commits more turnovers on offense than any other squad. The Rockets are last in the NBA in free-throw accuracy this season, and the Pistons are above-average in 3-pointers allowed (11.8 per game), steals (8.1 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.3 per game).
How to make Rockets vs. Pistons picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 209 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can only get the model's Pistons vs. Rockets pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Rockets vs. Pistons? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Pistons spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
