The Denver Nuggets (33-17) and Detroit Pistons (36-12) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The game will broadcast live on FDSDET.
The Pistons are 3.5-point favorites over the Nuggets on the spread (Pistons -3.5), with the over/under set at 228.5 total points. Detroit is a -175 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Denver is +145 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Nuggets vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, February 3.
Nuggets vs Pistons Prediction, Picks
- Nuggets vs Pistons pick: Nuggets +3.5 (-108)
My Pistons vs Nuggets best bet is on Denver to cover the spread at +3.5. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Nuggets vs Pistons Odds
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -108 | 228.5 -108o / -112u | +145 |
| Pistons Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -112 | 228.5 -108o / -112u | -175 |
Nuggets vs Pistons NBA Preview
It was just last week that the Pistons and Nuggets faced off in Denver with the Pistons coming out with a 109-107 victory. Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 11 assists while Tobias Harris had 22 points and eight rebounds.
The Pistons led for much of the way with the lead getting up to by as many as 18 points, but they needed to survive a furious late rally.
Jamal Murray was fouled twice in the last five seconds on 3-point attempts by Javonte Green, but he missed three of the six free throws. It was a stunning turn of events as Murray is a career 87% free throw shooter.
However, it allowed the Pistons to kick off their road trip with a victory and they would go on to win two of three games and have won four of their last five games overall.
Denver is in the middle of a tough stretch, having played the Thunder on Sunday before a back-to-back with the Pistons and Knicks as they head East. However, getting their three-time MVP back certainly does help.
Nikola Jokic returned Friday night against the Clippers and played 25 minutes. A fourth quarter deficit against the Thunder saw him push past his soft minutes limit with 29 minutes on Sunday, so he may be in the 30-minute range tonight.
The Nuggets were able to stay afloat without Jokic because of Murray as well as Peyton Watson. In 12 games without Jokic this season, Murray averaged 27.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. His strong play helped him become an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Meanwhile, Watson averaged 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks with Jokic out of the lineup and the team remains in the top three of the Western Conference standings.
Additionally, it will be a homecoming for Tim Hardaway Jr. after spending three years in Ann Arbor at Michigan and spending last season with the Pistons.
Hardaway stated that he still watches many of the Pistons' games in his free time. However, that did not stop him from 4 3s against his former teammates last week.
Nuggets vs Pistons Predictions, Betting Analysis
While the Pistons won last week's meeting, the Nuggets covered as 7-point underdogs and that was without Jokic. The Pistons are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games against Western Conference playoff teams.
This season, the Nuggets are slightly better against the spread at 29-21 for the season. With Jokic in the lineup last season, Denver won both meetings by double digits.
Tonight, I like them to at least cover as a 3.5-point underdog, although I would not rule out an outright victory. Denver is 19-7 straight on the road this season.
Nuggets vs Pistons Best Bet: Nuggets +3.5 (-108)
Nuggets vs Pistons Parlay Picks
Nikola Jokic to Record a Triple-Double
Since returning, Jokic has not recorded a triple-double. However, he has 16 on the year and had one in five of his previous seven games before going down with his knee injury.
The odds are often not that great because he records so many triple-doubles now, but he offers some value tonight at +280 on DraftKings. Jokic had 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 17 assists in his last game against the Pistons.
Cade Cunningham 8+ Assists
Jokic currently does not qualify statistically among league leaders, which makes Cunningham the league leader in assists at 9.8 per game.
Over his last 20 games, he is averaging 10.5 assists per game while recording at least eight in 17 of those games. Cunningham has had eight assists in three of his last five games against Denver, including last week.
Peyton Watson 15+ Points
Watson is averaging 15 points per game this season and he has gotten to his average in eight of his last 10 games. One of the games that he did not was against the Pistons as he scored 13 points on 6-for-20 from the field.
He has scored 21 and 29 in the two games since Jokic returned and his presence should help him get at least one more clean look to get 15 points against the Pistons tonight.
Nuggets vs Pistons Same Game Parlay
- Nikola Jokic to Record a Triple-Double
- Cade Cunningham 8+ Assists
- Peyton Watson 15+ Points
Parlay Odds: +525 via DraftKings
Spread
I'm not betting either side of the spread in this game.
Moneyline
No play on the moneyline as well.
Over/Under
My Pistons vs. Nuggets betting prediction is on Denver to cover the spread at -3.5.
Pistons vs Nuggets Betting Trends
