LOCK ALERT – Detroit Pistons vs. Toronto Raptors

NBA Basketball Sports Betting

Detroit Pistons (32-31 SU, 26-37 ATS) at Toronto Raptors (23-42 SU, 23-39-3 ATS)
Friday, March 13

BetOnline NBA Basketball Sports Betting Odds:  DETROIT -1, Total 193.5

Here are some of the NBA pro basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• DET has covered six of its last eight games
• DET has won five of its last seven games SU
• DET has lost 10 of its last 15 games SU
• DET has played four of its last six games OVER the total
• DET has lost five of its last seven road games SU
• DET has played 17 of its last 24 road games UNDER the total
• TOR has lost its last six games SU
• TOR is 0-6 ATS in its last six games
• TOR has played its last seven games OVER the total
• TOR is 4-7-2 ATS in its last 13 home games
• TOR has lost nine of its last 13 home games SU

Also…

• DET has covered seven of the last eight meetings
• DET has won six of the last seven meetings SU
• Six of the last nine meetings have gone UNDER the total
• Six of the last eight meetings in Toronto have gone OVER the total
• DET has had the shooting edge in nine of the last ten meetings
• DET has had the rebounding edge in five of the last six meetings

A funny thing happened to the Pistons when Allen Iverson hit the sidelines with a sore back. Detroit, having suffered through an eight-game losing streak prior to Iverson’s injury, started to win. In fact, they have won five of their last seven, and those were not against the dregs of the NBA either. The Pistons have scored two wins over the Orlando Magic in that time, not to mention a victory over Boston. Cause and effect? I would have to say so. The theme for almost the entire year, since the Billups-for-Iverson deal, was how "The Answer" didn’t turn out to be one after all for Detroit, but in fact had an adverse effect on team chemistry.

In that last win over Orlando, Richard Hamilton came up huge, with 29 points and a whopping 14 assists. Hamilton has averaged 25 points per game over his last eight, and in the last seven he has been a starter again. Yes, maybe team chemistry is back.

There would appear to be no team chemistry on the Toronto side, and the trade that brought Shawn Marion over from Miami hasn’t been a big help. Marion has scored 54 points in his last five games, and while that is not horrific, he is finding the same thing that he did in previous stops in Phoenix and Miami – he is NOT the focal point of the offense, which has led to much unhappiness on his part.

The Raptors have not won or covered the spread in their last six games, and they have not played defense either, giving up 113 ppg over their last nine contests. They have effectively played themselves right out of any contention for the 8th playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They will turn Detroit, the third worst offensive team in the NBA (93.8 ppg) into a much more efficient machine. Considering Detroit’s recent series domination (7-1 ATS in last eight meetings) we have no problem whatsoever laying a point with the Pistons, the favorite in the BetOnline Sportsbook.

JAY’S PLAY:  DETROIT -1
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)