In the final NBA matchup of the night, Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons visit the Phoenix Suns.
The pregame narrative: Detroit has upped its offensive game recently, and Cunningham is at the centre of it. For Saturday’s matchup, I have Cunningham and Jusuf Nurkic in a +230 SGP.
Check out my Pistons vs. Suns same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 21.
Pistons vs. Suns predictions
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Parlay: Over 219.5 points + Cunningham over 34.5 points/rebounds/assists + Nurkic under 10.5 rebounds (+230)
Over 219.5 points (-190): Detroit’s over/under record this year is an even split (14-14-0), but the team has played a more offence-friendly brand of hoops in recent weeks.
Over their past 10 games, the Pistons have the eighth-fastest pace in the NBA. The over is 7-3 in those matchups.
As for Phoenix, this is a number the team comfortably clears on the regular. At this point total, overs are 19-7 in Suns games this season.
Phoenix is ninth in the NBA in effective field goal percentage (59.6%).
SGP legs
Cunningham over 34.5 PRA (-240): He’s not always the most efficient shooter, but Cunningham is the Pistons’ top player. And he’s on a tear right now.
In 17 games since Nov. 4, check out what the former No. 1 overall pick has been up to:
- 23.8 points/game
- 8.0 rebounds/game
- 10.7 assists/game
- Six triple-doubles
- 35+ PRA in 14/17 matchups
Phoenix allows the second-fewest assists per game to opposing point guards, per Betting Pros. But if Cunningham goes cold as a facilitator, I know he can affect the game in other ways.
On the season, Cunningham has a 30.0% usage rate. That ranks 11th among players and is in the same range as Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant.
Nurkic under 10.5 rebounds (-124): The Pistons are a solid rebounding team, and I don’t like this matchup for Nurkic.
Detroit allows …
- 8th-fewest rebounds per game
- 5th-fewest rebounds to opposing centres
- 7th-lowest rebound rate
At 7 feet, Nurkic is taller than anyone the Pistons will play against him in the post. But that’s not the only data point to consider, and Detroit has proven itself to be a tough team to rebound against.
Nurkic has gone under 10.5 rebounds in three of his past four games — and 11 of 19 on the year.
Picks made at 12:20 p.m. on 12/21/24.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.