Cavaliers vs. Pistons Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, Feb. 27

Two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference are set to face off on Friday night, as the Detroit Pistons host the surging Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland is just half a game behind the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed in the East, although it did lose on the second night of a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

Still, the Cavs have won eight of their last 10 games and are the favorite in the Eastern Conference to win the NBA Finals (ahead of Boston, Detroit and New York). The Pistons are looking to take a 2-1 series lead with the Cavs this season as they chase the best record in the NBA.

Detroit bounced back from a loss to the San Antonio Spurs by beating the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, moving it to 19-7 against teams that are .500 or better in the 2025-26 season.

The No. 2 defense in the NBA, the Pistons are a tough test for a new-look Cavs team that added James Harden at the deadline. Harden fractured his right thumb against the Knicks on Tuesday and did not play in the loss to the Bucks, but he’s listed as questionable for Friday’s contest.

Donovan Mitchell (groin) is also on the injury report for Cleveland for the second game in a row, as he’s been ruled out for this matchup. That’s caused the Cavs to be much bigger underdogs on the road than one would expect on Friday.

Let’s take a look at the latest odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this battle between Eastern Conference contenders.

Cavaliers vs. Pistons Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Cavs +7.5 (-112)
Pistons -7.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Cavs: +325
Pistons: -290

Total

225.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Cavaliers vs. Pistons How to Watch

Date: Friday, Feb. 27
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Little Caesars Arena
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Cavs record: 37-23
Pistons record: 43-14

Cavaliers vs. Pistons Injury Reports

Cavs Injury Report

Donovan Mitchell – out
Keon Ellis – questionable
James Harden – questionable
Dennis Schroder – questionable
Dean Wade – questionable
Max Strus – out
Riley Minix – out

Pistons Injury Report

Bobi Klintman – out
Wendell Moore Jr. – out
Isaiah Stewart – out
Chaz Lanier – out

Cavaliers vs. Pistons Best NBA Prop Bets

Note: These player prop picks were made before odds were released and are based on past player performance.

Pistons Best NBA Prop Bet

Jalen Duren OVER Rebounds

Since returning from a two-game suspension, Duren has been a monster on the glass, grabbing 13,14 and 15 boards against Chicago, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

The All-Star center is having a career year, averaging 18.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, and he’s seen 19.9 rebound chances a night in the 2025-26 campaign.

The Cavs have two quality bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but they’re just 12th in rebound percentage and 14th in opponent rebounds per game this season. With Isaiah Stewart still suspended for Detroit, I think Duren could have another huge game on the glass with his increased workload.

Cavaliers vs. Pistons Prediction and Pick

Detroit suffered a tough loss to the Spurs on Monday, but I think it’s worth a look at home after it won the last meeting between these teams in Cleveland in January.

Harden’s injury complicates things for the Cavs going forward, and this is the third game in four nights for Cleveland. With Mitchell sidelined, I have a hard time backing the Cavs to win this game on the road.

Detroit has been dominant at home (22-7) this season, while the Cavs are an under .500 team against squads that are .500 or better. That’s a concerning stat when evaluating the Cavs as an NBA Finals contender this spring.

The Pistons’ defense (No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating) is the best unit in this game, and the offense bounced back in a big way against a stingy OKC defense on Wednesday.

I’ll take Detroit to win this Eastern Conference clash, even though the Cavs have better odds to win the title at this point in the campaign.

Pick: Pistons -7.5 (-108 at FanDuel)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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