Wednesday’s six-game NBA series will be headlined by a doubleheader on ESPN. It ends with a showdown between the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder and the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Oklahoma City is 45-14 and on a three-game winning streak; Detroit is 42-14 but is looking to bounce back from a loss to San Antonio.
Let’s get into my Thunder vs. Pistons prediction diving.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Detroit Pistons Odds
Moneyline: Thunder +176 / Pistons -210
Spread: Thunder +5.5 (-112) / Pistons -5.5 (-108)
Total: Over 218.5 (-115) / Under 218.5 (-105)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Detroit Pistons best bet: Pistons -5.5 (-108)
This is clearly a potential preview of the NBA Finals. However, this matchup will almost certainly be nothing like what we would see in the playoffs. Don’t be surprised if the Thunder’s effort level on Wednesday is eerily similar to that of basement-dwelling teams positioning themselves to land a top pick in the 2026 draft. That’s not to say Oklahoma City will be all over this game from the get-go, but it could wave the white flag sooner or later if the deficit starts to widen.
OKC is on the road, in the second leg of a back-to-back, against the best team in the East and missing two of its best players. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out at least one more game due to an abdominal problem. Jalen Williams is dealing with a hamstring injury and won’t return until sometime in March at the earliest. Ajay Mitchell would normally get plenty of playing time with SGA and Williams on the shelf, but Mitchell (abs) is also sidelined (expected to miss at least a few more games).
Oklahoma City is still playing decent basketball and managed to beat Toronto on Tuesday night, but its early-season dominance is a thing of the past – at least until Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams return. OKC is just 8-6 straight in their last 14 games. The Pistons, on the other hand, are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games and 5-1 ATS in their last six. Jalen Duren has put together back-to-back double-double performances since returning from his two-game suspension (26 points and 13 boards against the Bulls, 25 points and 14 boards against the Spurs).
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