The most astonishing aspect of the Detroit Pistons’ season may be their 17-8 record after the loss of Jaden Ivey on New Year’s Day. The Pistons’ roster has enhanced relative to previous years; yet, the ability to maintain depth in Ivey’s absence was still unforeseen.
The Boston Celtics remain favored on the road this evening, however any confidence in Detroit is primarily attributed to one specific individual. My predictions for the Celtics versus Pistons wager on Cade Cunningham, since he has compensated for Ivey’s injury.
Discover additional information about my NBA selections for Wednesday, February 26.
Prediction for the Celtics versus Pistons matchup
My optimal wager: Cade Cunningham to score over 30 points (+115 at bet365)
My assessment
Jaden Ivey was an essential component of the Detroit Pistons offense prior to fracturing his fibula on January 1. He averaged 17.6 points and 2.1 successful three-pointers per game, achieving a 40.9% shooting percentage from outside the arc. Adversaries found it challenging to concentrate on any singular aspect of the Pistons’ offense when Ivey was able to enhance Cade Cunningham’s contributions.
The loss of Ivey has resulted in an increased emphasis on Cunningham, who has performed effectively under the additional burden. His usage percentage has increased to 34.8% following Ivey’s injury, up from 31.3% during the initial two-plus months of the season. Additionally, Cunningham has averaged 28.2 points over 24 games since Ivey’s injury, an increase from 23.8 prior to that.
Cunningham’s scoring has really improved.
In the initial 29 games of his season, Cunningham exceeded 30 points on only four occasions. His field-goal attempts have increased by 2.3 per game, resulting in him scoring over 30 points in 12 out of 24 games.
Achieving that milestone against the Boston Celtics this evening will undoubtedly be a more challenging endeavor. During the same period, Boston’s defense ranks fourth in the NBA.
Cunningham’s points prop is set at 27.5, with odds of -125. Requesting him to produce an additional bucket while increasing the price by 40 cents constitutes a compelling value proposition.
He recorded 32 points only two nights prior against the Los Angeles Clippers, who own the second-best defensive rating since January 2, therefore providing a basis to contend that the Celtics’ supremacy should not deter this wager.
Examining Detroit’s rotation, Ivey’s absence has not significantly enhanced the output of as many guys as anticipated. Regarding use rate, only Cunningham and Jalen Duren have shown an increase among players averaging over 20 minutes per game.
Duren’s playmaking has proven advantageous, as the starting center has recorded three or more assists in nine of his last twelve games. Confidently endorsing Detroit’s offense aligns with wagering on the Pistons to cover, particularly with their 12-7 record against the spread this season as two-bucket underdogs.
