TITLE: Pistons Surge to Top of East, but Sportsbooks Still Back Cavaliers and Knicks
SLUG: pistons-surge-to-top-of-east-but-odds-favor-cavs-and-knicks
CONTENT:
The Detroit Pistons have opened the season with an 11-game winning streak, pushing their record to 13-2 and giving them the best mark in the Eastern Conference. Leaguewide, only the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, at 14-1, own a better start.
Detroit also leads the East in point differential at +6.8 and ranks second in the conference in opponents’ scoring, allowing 112.1 points per game.
The fast start comes despite a series of early injuries. Guard Jaden Ivey has not played after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Oct. 16. Forward Tobias Harris has missed nine straight games since spraining his right ankle on Nov. 1. Rookie Ausar Thompson was sidelined for five contests with an ankle issue, while key starters Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren have missed three and two games, respectively.
Last spring, the Pistons extended the New York Knicks to six games in the first round of the playoffs. The current roster is viewed as stronger, with Cunningham drawing early MVP buzz and Duren considered the front-runner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
Oddsmakers, however, continue to favor other contenders. At FanDuel, the Cleveland Cavaliers are listed at +250 to win the East, implying a 28 percent probability. The Knicks follow at +370 (approximately 21 percent). Detroit sits at +850, translating to about a 9 percent chance to reach the NBA Finals.
Veteran NBA writer Andy Roth, who has covered the league since 1979, argues that the Pistons’ current line represents “good value” compared with the prices on Cleveland and New York.
Source: Hoops Wire
