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2024-25 Detroit Pistons Predictions and Odds to Win NBA Finals

by Spencer Toth - 10/2/2024

Detroit Pistons predictions Cade Cunningham

The Detroit Pistons are in the midst of a lengthy rebuild. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2008, having made the playoff three times since then, each time getting swept. The Pistons are expected to be near the bottom of the standings again, but there is a level of optimism among the front office staff that Detroit can springboard into a play-in position as soon as this season. 

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Detroit Pistons Offseason Recap

As expected, the Pistons had an eventful offseason as they looked to transform their young team into a future title contender. At the trade deadline last season, the Pistons flipped Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to the Knicks, leaving their starting lineup filled with players aged 22 or younger. They continued to prioritize youth in the offseason, letting proven NBA role players like Taj Gibson, Evan Fournier, and Malachi Flynn walk in free agency. With a wide-open slate to work with, new general manager Trajan Langdon began to get to work. 

The Pistons brought in several NBA veterans to help develop their young core. The most notable name arriving in Detroit is Tobias Harris from the Philadelphia 76ers. Harris has spent the last 6 seasons with the 76ers, consistently posting PPG numbers in the high teens. He instantly elevated the level of play for the Pistons, as the 32-year-old has more NBA seasons under his belt than the rest of the starting five combined. Harris has seen better days on the court, but he will still be one of the most productive and consistent members of the Pistons. The Pistons picked up two more veterans in Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. too. Beasley and Hardaway Jr. will both be coming off the bench in Detroit, which will help solidify their second unit. Rebuilding teams often have a promising starting lineup but lack the depth off the bench to compete. However, that is not the case with the Pistons. Beasley and Hardaway Jr. are both solid defenders capable of knocking down the long-range triple. They will allow the ball to remain in the hands of their younger teammates but will punish teams if left open. 

Despite finishing with the worst record in the league last season, the draft lottery sent the Pistons all the way down to the fifth overall pick. Detroit used their selection to draft Ron Holland, who will start the year in a second-string role. Holland is one of the best athletes from the draft, putting in the work needed on both ends of the court to succeed in the NBA. His jump shot still needs improvement, but he should have a positive impact off the bench this season. 

Detroit Pistons Season Expectations

The Detroit Pistons made history by losing 28 consecutive games in a single season last year. They finished with a 14-68 record, setting the franchise low for wins in a season. This is especially embarrassing for the franchise considering they have been around since 1941 when the NBA season was just 24 games long. There is no doubt the Pistons will improve from last year. However, the question is by how much? The veterans the Pistons picked up in the offseason will be fantastic mentors for the next generation of NBA superstars. Players like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren are the future of this franchise, and their development will be prioritized over winning basketball games. Cunningham and Duren both missed 20+ games last season, making it difficult for the Pistons to build chemistry with their revolving lineup. All three players are still 22 or younger, which means they still have a few more years before they start hitting their primes. A surprising play-in tournament push isn’t out of the question, but it still feels too early to call for that. 

Detroit Pistons Schedule Breakdown

The Pistons have a difficult start to the regular season, taking on six Eastern Conference playoff teams to begin the season. What will likely be an 0-6 or 1-5 start will shatter the confidence of the young team, and it will be interesting to see if they can rebound against inferior opposition later in the season. During the final 6 weeks of 2024, the Pistons will play 13 of their 18 games away from home, including a nasty road trip from December 20th until December 29th. They are rewarded with some lengthy home stands in the final few months.

Detroit Pistons Odds

The Pistons are expected to have another bad season while finishing well outside the playoff spots. Their 26.5 win total is nearly double the 14 wins they posted last year, but it is still an attainable target for the Pistons. If they can go .500 against non-playoff teams while picking up a few wins here and there against the top teams, they could find themselves in the thick of a race for the final play-in tournament position. The Pistons are +500 to participate in the play-in tournament and an even longer +1200 to turn that into a postseason appearance. 

In the NBA Cup, the Pistons are +4000 to finish on top of a group featuring the Bucks, Pacers, Heat, and Raptors. They are obvious longshots to qualify for the knockout stages, making their regular season props the most effective markets to explore. 

2024-25 Detroit Pistons Season Predictions and Best Bets

It will be difficult for the Pistons not to improve on their 14-win season last year, and I will be predicting they can even overcome their 26.5 win total in the regular season. The core of the Pistons rebuild is once again a year older and has another year of valuable NBA experience under their belts. The record-setting losing streak was not an enjoyable experience, but it will have adequately equipped the Pistons on how to handle losing this year. Their veteran additions in Harris, Beasley, and Hardaway Jr. will make an instant impact for Detroit, which will allow a few of those losses due to poor bench play to turn into victories. The Pistons will finish just outside the play-in tournament positions with a 31-51 record this year. The Over 26.5 wins is a great pick to make, but I won’t go as far as to call for a +500 play-in tournament appearance. Instead, the +260 odds on 30+ regular season wins is worth a wager. We are getting a much better price for just 3 more wins from the Pistons, and it is the best season prediction to make for Detroit. 

Pick: Detroit Pistons Over 26.5 Wins -110

Top Pick: Detroit Pistons 30+ Wins +260

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