Pacers vs. Pistons Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 16

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons are one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference right now, winning eight of their last 10 games to climb to the No. 7 seed in the conference.

They’ll take on another surging team – the Indiana Pacers – on Thursday night in Detroit as the Pacers (No. 6 in the East) look to build on their half-game lead over the Pistons. Indiana is 7-3 in its last 10 games, but it lost on Tuesday night to the Cleveland Cavaliers with Tyrese Haliburton sitting out due to a hamstring injury.

The Pacers have listed Haliburton as questionable on Thursday night, but the Pacers are still underdogs on the road.

After a 14-win season in the 2023-24 campaign, the Pistons are over .500 and just 1.5 games out of the No. 4 seed (!!) in the East at this point in the season.

Can they build on Monday’s win over the New York Knicks with the Pacers in town tonight?

Here’s a look at the latest odds, players to bet in the prop market and my prediction for this Eastern Conference clash.

Pacers vs. Pistons Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Pacers +2.5 (-112)
Pistons -2.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Pacers: +114
Pistons: -135

Total

227.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Pacers vs. Pistons How to Watch

Date: Thursday, Jan. 16
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Little Caesars Arena
How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Detroit
Pacers record: 22-19
Kings record: 21-19

Pacers vs. Pistons Injury Reports

Pacers Injury Report

RayJ Dennis – questionable
Enrique Freeman – questionable
Tyrese Haliburton – questionable
Isaiah Jackson – out
James Wiseman – out
Aaron Nesmith – questionable
Quenton Jackson – questionable
Bennedict Mathurin – out

Pistons Injury Report

Ron Harper Jr. – out
Tolu Smith – out
Jaden Ivey – out
Bobi Klintman – out
Daniss Jenkins – out

Pacers vs. Pistons Best NBA Prop Bets

Indiana Pacers Best NBA Prop Bet

Myles Turner OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-115)

Earlier this season, Myles Turner knocked down 3-of-8 shots from beyond the arc against Detroit, clearing this line in one of his two games against them. Turner is averaging 1.9 made 3s per game in the 2024-25 season while shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Detroit has struggled to defend the 3, allowing 14.2 made shots from deep per game (25th in the NBA) on 37.9 percent shooting. Turner should be in the mix to clear this prop on Thursday.

Detroit Pistons Best NBA Prop Bet

Cade Cunningham UNDER 9.5 Assists (-115)

As good as Cade Cunningham has been this season, I think this is a spot to fade him when it comes to his assists prop.

Cunningham is averaging a career-high 9.4 assists per game this season, but he’s failed to clear 9.5 dimes in eight of his last nine games, averaging 8.2 assists per game over that stretch.

Indiana ranks 14th in the NBA in opponent assists per game, and it held Cunningham under this number once in two meetings this season. Until Cade gets back to putting up double-digit dimes on a consistent basis, the UNDER is the play in this prop.

Pacers vs. Pistons Prediction and Pick

Before betting on this game, it’ll be important to monitor Haliburton’s status, but it appears there’s a chance that both he and Aaron Nesmith (who has missed a ton of time with an ankle injury) could return to the lineup on Thursday night.

That would be a major boost for a Pacers team that has been solid on the road – at least as a road underdog – covering the spread in nine of 15 games. Indiana is only 11-12 straight up in those games, but it has won nine of its last 10 road games after a dreadful start to the season.

Meanwhile, the Pistons have struggled when favored at home, going 2-6 against the spread despite winning six of those eight games outright.

These teams are No. 7 (Detroit) and No. 9 (Indiana) in net rating over their last 10 games. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Pacers cover or win outright if Haliburton is able to suit up on Thursday.

Pick: Pacers +2.5 (-112)

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.