Cade Cunningham Will Lead Detroit Pistons In Route Over San Antonio Spurs Friday
This game would be awesome if Victor Wembanyama was playing. Unfortunately, Wembanyama is out for the season with blood clots in his shoulder. So, the Detroit Pistons (29-26) at the San Antonio Spurs (24-29) isn't worth planning your Friday around. That said, I'm betting on it, of course. Tip-off is 8:30 p.m. ET for all the fellow degenerates betting on this game.
Detroit is a -4 favorite, up from the -3.5 on the opener, which sucks, obviously, since I'm getting the "worst of it". However, I'm still down because the Pistons aren't just a feisty team, they are legitimately good. As I've been saying for years, Detroit All-Star PG Cade Cunningham is the truth. He is scoring a team-high 25.4 points per game (PPG) while dishing out 9.4 assists.
The Pistons have surrounded him with glue guys, 3-point shooters, veterans, athletes, and defenders. They are great on the glass also. Detroit is eighth in offensive rebounding rate and third defensively. San Antonio is 25th in second-chance PPG allowed with Wemby playing in 46 of 53 games. Without him, the Pistons will dominate the Spurs on the boards.
Plus, San Antonio's 120-109 home win over the Phoenix Suns Thursday doesn't mean sh*t. The Suns are lame. Kevin Durant is more interested in arguing with fellow OutKick writer Mike Gunzelman on X. I like Devin Booker's game, but he is having a down year. Hence, my takeaway from the Spurs beating the Suns isn't "San Antonio is good".
Detroit Pistons PG Cade Cunningham drives past San Antonio Spurs PG, and former Sacramento King, De'Aaron Fox. (Photo credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images)
Because now the Spurs are a "PG De'Aaron Fox Team". The problem is Fox's shot selection and production aren't good enough to offset Wembanyama's loss. Also, Fox is a cone on defense and Cunningham is going to tear up San Antonio's backcourt. Cade scored a game-high 33 points in a 114-113 win over the Sacramento Kings when they had Fox earlier this season.
Between Cunningham and Detroit's rebounding and physicality, the Pistons are going to smack the Spurs Friday. They are 5-2 straight up and against the spread as a road favorite with a +13.4 scoring margin and an +8.9 spread differential. For the record, I'd BET DETROIT UP TO -5.
Prediction: Pistons 122, Spurs 112
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