Jazz vs. Pistons Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Dec. 19

Can the Pistons cover the spread as home favorites?

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is a great prop target tonight. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons have impressed so far in the 2024 season, winning 11 of their first 27 games – a much better start than last season – to hold the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Cade Cunningham is playing at an All-Star level for Detroit, and he dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds and 18 assists in an overtime win over the Miami Heat on Monday.

Detroit was a home underdog in that game, but it finds itself as a home favorite on Thursday against the five-win Utah Jazz.

Utah also played on Monday, giving up 144 points in a 144-107 loss on the road to the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s been a tough season for Will Hardy’s squad, and it’s becoming clearer by the day that Utah is focused on tanking rather than being in the mix for a playoff spot this season.

With that in mind, how should we bet on this matchup on Thursday?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Pistons-Jazz. 

Jazz vs. Pistons Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Jazz +4.5 (-108)
• Pistons -4.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Jazz: +164
• Pistons: -198

Total

• 228 (Over -108/Under -112)

Jazz vs. Pistons How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Dec. 19
• Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Little Caesars Arena
• How to Watch (TV): Root Sports Northwest, Bally Sports Detroit
• Jazz record: 5-20
• Pistons record: 11-16

Jazz vs. Pistons Injury Reports

Jazz Injury Report

• Isaiah Collier – out
• Kyle Filipowski – out
• Taylor Hendricks – out
• David Jones Garcia – out
• Svi Mykhailiuk – questionable
• Collin Sexton – available
• Cody Williams – out
• Oscar Tshiebwe – out

Pistons Injury Report

• Tobias Harris – probable
• Jaden Ivey – doubtful
• Daniss Jenkins – out
• Bobi Klintman – out
• Isaiah Stewart – out
• Cole Swider – out
• Alondes Williams – out

Jazz vs. Pistons Best NBA Prop Bets

Utah Jazz Best NBA Prop Bets

• Lauri Markkanen OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-110)

It’s been a rough season for Markkanen and the Jazz, and the former All-Star has attempted less than 10 shots in three consecutive games. So, why back him in a 3-point prop tonight?

Well, Markkanen still has two games in that stretch with three or more made shots from deep, clearing 2.5 made 3s in eight of his last 12 games while shooting 37.4 percent from 3 on over seven attempts per game during that stretch.

Now, he takes on a Detroit team that ranks 25th in the NBA in opponent 3-pointers made per game (opponents are also shooting 37.3 percent from deep against the Pistons). I’ll bet on a Markkanen bounce back tonight. 

Detroit Pistons Best NBA Prop Bets

• Cade Cunningham OVER 9.5 Assists (-135)

There haven’t been many players that have passed the ball better than Cade Cunningham this season. The Pistons guard is averaging 9.7 assists per game, picking up 10 or more assists in 12 of his last 17 games. 

He put up a monster 18-assist performance in Monday’s overtime win over the Miami Heat, pushing his potential assists per game average to 16.2 this season. I think he’s in line for a huge game setting up his teammates against a Utah team that is dead last in the NBA in defensive rating and 28th in opponent assists per game allowed (28.7).  

Jazz vs. Pistons Prediction and Pick

Detroit has yet to cover the spread as a home favorite this season (0-3 ATS), but I’m going to bet on that trend ending tonight.

Utah comes into this game with a 6-7 ATS record as a road underdog, losing those games by an average margin of 10.9 points per game. Lauri Markkanen and company have not defended well at all this season, ranking dead last in the NBA in defensive rating.

Meanwhile, the Pistons significantly outrank the Jazz in net rating (-3.3 vs. -10.6) in the 2024-25 season. 

I don’t want to act like the Pistons are a playoff team – because they still have a ways to go – but they can beat this Utah squad. Three of Utah’s last four losses have come by 27 or more points.

I’ll back Detroit at home tonight. 

Pick: Pistons -4.5 (-112)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.