The shorthanded Phoenix Suns host the Detroit Pistons during Thursday’s late-night NBA slate.
The pregame narrative: Devin Booker remains sidelined after suffering an ankle injury last Friday against the Atlanta Hawks. The Suns are 4.5-point home underdogs against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who have won eight of their last 10.
Check out my Pistons vs. Suns SGP predictions for Jan. 29, featuring Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham.
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Pistons vs. Suns SGP
Parlay: Pistons ML | Duren 15+ points | Cunningham under 9.5 assists (+335)
Pistons moneyline (-180): How about these Pistons? Detroit is looking like the clear-cut team to beat in the East in Year 2 of J.B. Bickerstaff’s regime, and the squad has no trouble performing away from home:
- The Pistons are 15-6 on the road. That 71.4% winning percentage tops the Eastern Conference.
- They also have the fourth-best road net rating (+4.3) in the NBA.
- Detroit has won seven of its last 10 road games, with wins over the Lakers, Celtics, Cavaliers and Nuggets.
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Phoenix is no pushover, and I expect the Suns will turn this game into a slog without Booker. But Detroit lives in the mud, boasting the No. 2 defensive rating while playing at a middle-of-the-pack pace.
I trust the Pistons can pull out a gritty win, just like they did against the Suns on Jan. 15 (108-105).
NBA SGP legs
Duren 15+ points (-180): Duren has elevated his game this season and has a strong case to make his first all-star team.
The fourth-year centre is averaging a career-high 17.7 PPG, and he has the sixth-highest field goal percentage in the NBA (63.1%).
He’s provided a very consistent scoring floor over his last 15 games, too:
- 14+ points 13 times
- 15+ points 11 times
- 18+ points 8 times
Duren is living around this number on a nightly basis and has cashed this wager in three straight games against the Suns.
Cunningham under 9.5 assists (-130): Cunningham leads the NBA in assists per game (9.8) and had 11 helpers against Phoenix two weeks ago.
I want to fade him tonight, though, for a few reasons.
- Phoenix allows the fifth-fewest assists per game to opposing point guards, per Fantasy Pros.
- The Suns have allowed just 108.1 PPG in their last seven games, dating back to when they played the Pistons.
-> Full Pistons vs. Suns prop betting markets
Also, Cunningham had an uncharacteristically poor shooting performance against the Suns on Jan. 15, going 3-for-16 from the field in 39 minutes of play.
If the superstar guard can get things going as a scorer, I like his chances of falling under this lofty total.
Pistons vs. Suns SGP made at 10:50 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2026.
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Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.