The Detroit Pistons turned in another underwhelming campaign in 2022-23, going 17-65 after coming into the season with a projected win total of 29.5 games. It didn’t help that 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham went down with a season-ending injury just 12 games into the year.
With that said, there’s reason to be optimistic about the Pistons this coming season and a big chunk of that hinges on the presence of head coach Monty Williams. Detroit hired the former Phoenix Suns coach this summer and made him the highest-paid coach in the league.
With development — and potentially a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament — in mind, here are the best Detroit Pistons prop bets to make ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Pistons Odds 2024
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Pistons Prop Bets 2024
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Pistons: Over 28.5 Wins (-110)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Detroit still isn’t a great team, and I don’t have high hopes for their playoff chances. However, this win total seems too low at 28.5 games.
In addition to getting Cunningham back, the Pistons feature one of the best young cores in the NBA, with Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, and Ausar Thompson bursting at the seams with potential. How soon they reach it will determine how well Detroit performs in 2023-24.
You can’t ignore the veteran presence on this roster, though. Bojan Bogdanović, Joe Harris, and Monte Morris have been around, and they all know how to win. That should come in handy in close games whether they’re on the floor or not.
The Eastern Conference has softened enough for me to believe that the Pistons could be a 30-win team this coming season. Lock in the Over with your NBA bet of the day.
Cade Cunningham: Wins Most Improved Player (+750)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
Cunningham could be in for a monster season. The 21-year-old appeared to be making improvements across the board before he went down with his season-ending injury, and his stat-stuffing style of play makes him a potentially savvy choice to win Most Improved Player.
Cunningham already sits near the top of the NBA MIP odds, so the expectation is that he’ll deliver on the hype. His efficiency is one area that could benefit from a boost — he’s a career 41.6% shooter from the field and 30.9% from beyond the arc, which is somewhat discouraging.
If Cunningham can make the All-Star leap this season and emerge as the unquestioned No. 1 option for this Pistons team, the Most Improved Player award could be his to lose. At (+750), this is well worth a wager.
Ausar Thompson: Wins NBA Rookie of the Year (+2200)
Caesars Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.1 Units
Thompson has stiff competition in this race — namely from Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Scoot Henderson, and his brother, Amen Thompson — but he still has the potential to shine and make a big impact in Year 1.
He looked impressive in Summer League play, showing off his defensive capabilities and otherworldly athleticism while averaging over 13 points per game. He won’t need to take on too large a role in this offense, either, which could work wonders for his lackluster shooting efficiency.
A lot will have to go right for Thompson to earn this honor, but he sits high enough in the preseason NBA ROTY odds for me to place a small wager here.
Pistons Betting in Michigan
Pistons bettors located in Michigan can legally participate in online sports betting. If you’re just getting started, consider reading our Michigan sports betting guide to learn about the top sportsbooks, promotions, and sign-up offers.
How to Bet on Pistons Games 2024
How to Bet Pistons Moneylines
Moneylines are one of the most popular bet types, and their simplicity is a big reason why. To win a moneyline wager, all you need to do is correctly pick the winner of a game.
Before a game begins, each team will have separate odds of winning. In a matchup between the Pistons and Bulls, for example, Detroit might be listed as a (+180) underdog, while the Bulls could be a (-220) favorite.
Underdogs come with the potential for a higher payout since it’s less likely that they’ll win the game, while wagering on favorites requires you to wager a larger amount to earn more substantial winnings. A $10 wager on a (+180) underdog would earn you $18 in winnings, but just $4.55 on a (-220) favorite.
The Pistons weren’t worthy of many moneyline bets last season, going just 17-65 on the year.
- 2022-23 Pistons Moneyline Record: 17-65
How to Bet Pistons Spreads
Spread bets are another popular choice, allowing bettors to wager against a game’s projected scoring margin. Both teams generally have equal (-110) odds of covering the spread, meaning value can almost always be found.
In that same game against the Bulls, the Pistons might be listed as a 5.5-point underdog, with the Bulls coming in as a 5.5-point favorite. For Detroit to cover, it would need to win the game outright or lose by less than 5.5 points. Otherwise, Chicago would cover the spread.
The Pistons were particularly good against the spread on the road, going 17-21-3. Still, Detroit was rarely a great choice.
- 2022-23 Pistons Against the Spread Record: 34-44-4
How to Bet Pistons Over/Unders
If you could go either way on a game’s outcome, Over/Unders can be a solid alternative — especially if you feel it’ll be a particularly high- or low-scoring game. With this type of bet, you’re wagering on whether the total combined points scored in a game will exceed or fall short of the projected amount.
The total between the Pistons and Bulls might be set around 224.5 points. In this case, the Over would hit if more than 224.5 points are scored, while the Under would be the winning bet if both teams come up short.
Detroit was nearly split in half on Over/Unders last season, indicating that oddsmakers had a pretty good feel for how their games were going to turn out.
- 2022-23 Pistons Over/Under Record: 41-40-1
