Pistons vs. Nuggets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, Jan. 27

Two of the top teams in the NBA face off on Tuesday night in what could be a potential NBA Finals preview.

The Detroit Pistons and Cade Cunningham have the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, leading Boston by several games ahead of their matchup with the Denver Nuggets.

Denver had its game against the Memphis Grizzlies postponed on Sunday, giving the team a little extra rest ahead of this game. Denver has been destroyed by the injury bug, as Aaron Gordon suffered another hamstring injury and Nikola Jokic has not played since late December with a knee issue.

Gordon, Jokic, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun are all out on Tuesday night, but Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson and Jonas Valanciunas are probable.

So, this may be the NBA Finals matchup, but it certainly isn’t an accurate test for both of these teams since Denver is down so many rotation pieces.

The Pistons are an impressive 14-6 on the road this season, and they’re now No. 2 in the NBA in net rating. Can they pick up an important win over a contender tonight?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, my favorite player prop target and a prediction for Tuesday’s showdown.

Pistons vs. Nuggets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Pistons -6.5 (-118)
Nuggets +6.5 (-102)

Moneyline

Pistons: -250
Nuggets: +205

Total

215.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Pistons vs. Nuggets How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 27
Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Ball Arena
How to Watch (TV): Altitude, FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
Pistons record: 33-11
Nuggets record: 31-15

Pistons vs. Nuggets Injury Reports

Pistons Injury Report

Isaac Jones – out
Wendell Moore Jr. – out
Caris LeVert – out
Tolu Smith – out

Nuggets Injury Report

Aaron Gordon – out
Cameron Johnson – out
Christian Braun – out
Nikola Jokic – out
Jamal Murray – probable
Jonas Valanciunas – probable
Peyton Watson – probable
Tamar Bates – out

Pistons vs. Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

Peyton Watson 18+ Points (-155)

Denver is down four starters (Jokic, Gordon, Braun and Johnson) on Tuesday, which should open up a huge role for Peyton Watson in the offense.

The former first-round pick is averaging 23.1 points per game while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from 3 since Jokic went down, and I like him to build on that tonight, even against one of the NBA's top defenses.

Watson is really coming into his own as an important bench piece for Denver, and he should get all the shots he can handle in this matchup as the clear No. 2 option behind Murray.

This is a volume play for the Nuggets wing, as he has 20 or more points in nine of the 13 games he’s played in since Jokic was injured.

Pistons vs. Nuggets Prediction and Pick

Denver has survived this long stretch without Jokic, winning nine of 14 games to stay in the mix for a top spot in the West.

So, I think the Nuggets are a little undervalued here at home with Murray, Watson and Valanciunas all expected to play.

Detroit has an impressive record on the road this season, but it has covered the spread in just six of 16 games as a road favorite. Now, the Pistons are No. 3 in the NBA in net rating over their last 15 games, but asking them to win by more than two possessions against this Denver team is a little rich for me.

The Nuggets haven’t just beaten bad teams during this stretch without Jokic, as they have wins over Toronto (No. 3 in the East), Philadelphia (No. 6 in the East) and Boston (No. 2 in the East).

The key? Denver is No. 2 in turnover percentage over that stretch. The Pistons? Well, they're No. 30 over their last 15 games. That could be the difference in Denver covering on Tuesday night.

Pick: Nuggets +6.5 (-102 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $300 in bonus bets instantly.