VegasButcher - NBA
Detroit Pistons -2
You don’t need me to regurgitate the numbers for you by now but I will anyways: Detroit is 12-3 since getting rid of Josh Smith (who is just awful for the Rockets by the way) with an Efficiency-Differential of +8, which would rank as one of the best marks in the league for a ‘full season’. Their 3 losses came against the Pelicans and twice against the best team in the East, the Hawks. Today they’ll take on the Bucks, for the first time without Smith. Milwaukee is 2-1 against Detroit this season. The two wins happened with Brandon Jennings out for DET, and of course all 3 games took place with Josh Smith in the lineup. Without Smith and with Detroit playing so well right now, I expect a win for the Pistons tonight. Their front-court of Monroe and Drummond will be a very tough test for the Bucks without Sanders, as I don’t see Pachulia and Ilyasova being able to contain that duo. In addition, Detroit will have Jodie Meeks playing with the second unit, and he’ll be able to provide enough depth to match Milwaukee’s deep bench. Meeks missed the first 3 meetings between these teams. Bottom line is that the Pistons are a much better team than the Bucks “right now” and I don’t see the spread being a factor at such a short number.
Detroit Pistons -2
You don’t need me to regurgitate the numbers for you by now but I will anyways: Detroit is 12-3 since getting rid of Josh Smith (who is just awful for the Rockets by the way) with an Efficiency-Differential of +8, which would rank as one of the best marks in the league for a ‘full season’. Their 3 losses came against the Pelicans and twice against the best team in the East, the Hawks. Today they’ll take on the Bucks, for the first time without Smith. Milwaukee is 2-1 against Detroit this season. The two wins happened with Brandon Jennings out for DET, and of course all 3 games took place with Josh Smith in the lineup. Without Smith and with Detroit playing so well right now, I expect a win for the Pistons tonight. Their front-court of Monroe and Drummond will be a very tough test for the Bucks without Sanders, as I don’t see Pachulia and Ilyasova being able to contain that duo. In addition, Detroit will have Jodie Meeks playing with the second unit, and he’ll be able to provide enough depth to match Milwaukee’s deep bench. Meeks missed the first 3 meetings between these teams. Bottom line is that the Pistons are a much better team than the Bucks “right now” and I don’t see the spread being a factor at such a short number.
