Detroit Pistons vs Toronto Raptors Picks and Predictions November 25th 2024

Pistons vs Raptors November 25th 2024

The 4-13 Toronto Raptors (+173) will travel to take on the 7-11 Pistons (-206) in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Pistons are favored by 5 points and the over/under line is 223.5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 ET at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The game will be televised on TSN.

Currently, the Raptors are 13th in the Eastern Conference, while the Pistons are 11th. Detroit has lost three straight games.

Raptors vs. Pistons Key Information

After a 122-108 road loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday, the Raptors dropped to 4-13 for the season. Toronto entered the game as +11.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 230 points was just under the O/U line of 233.5.

Toronto fell behind early, trailing 38-22 after the 1st quarter. They fought back, outscoring Cleveland 33-27 in the 2nd and 35-31 in the 3rd, but a 26-18 4th quarter in favor of the Cavaliers sealed the game.

In their loss to the Cavaliers, the Raptors shot just 40.2% from the field, with a 30.8% success rate from three-point range, hitting 12 threes in total. Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick led the team with 18 points each, with RJ Barrett adding 16 points.

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Barnes scored 9 of his points in the 4th quarter, while Dick had 7 in the 1st. Jonathan Mogbo contributed 11 of his 13 points in the 2nd quarter, and Jakob Poeltl added 8 of his 12 points in the 3rd.

The Raptors struggled defensively in their 122-108 loss to the Cavaliers, giving up 38 points in the 1st quarter. They allowed 31 points in the 3rd but tightened up in the 2nd and 4th quarters, allowing 27 and 26 points, respectively.

Overall, Toronto allowed Cleveland to shoot 49% from the field, including 39% from three, where the Cavaliers hit 16 threes. The Raptors sent Cleveland to the line 14 times, where they made 10 free throws. Defensively, Toronto recorded 9 steals and 5 blocks.

The Pistons fell to 7-11 on the season after a 111-100 road loss to the Magic on Saturday. Detroit, who entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 211 points narrowly exceeded the pre-game total of 207.5.

Orlando’s 10-0 run early in the game put Detroit in a hole, but the Pistons responded with a strong 2nd quarter, outscoring the Magic 32-23. However, Orlando pulled away again in the 3rd quarter, and Detroit couldn’t close the gap in the 4th, where they were outscored 23-21.

Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with 19 points and 7 rebounds in their 111-100 loss to the Magic, despite shooting just 37.5% from the field. Malik Beasley added 18 points, hitting 4 threes at a 44.4% clip, while Marcus Sasser chipped in 13 points, shooting 55.6%.

Detroit connected on 13 threes, shooting 39.4% from deep and 46.7% overall. Ivey scored 7 points in the 2nd quarter but managed just 1 point in the 4th, while Beasley added 6 points in the final period.

Defensively, the Pistons had strong 2nd and 4th quarters, allowing just 23 points in each, but a 33-point 1st quarter from the Magic contributed to their 111-100 loss. Overall, Detroit gave up 111 points on 46% shooting from the field.

The Pistons did well defending the three, holding Orlando to 30% shooting and 12 made threes. Detroit also recorded 7 steals and 8 blocks. However, they allowed 17 offensive rebounds and sent the Magic to the line 22 times, where they hit 19 free throws.

The Pistons is our pick to not only win with a projected score of 132-119. But we also favor them to cover the spread. Our bet is on the Pistons at -5.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 223.5, and our model projects the Raptors and Pistons to reach a combined total of 251 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

Shorthanded Pistons Look to Halt Skid in Clash vs. Raptors

The Detroit Pistons, already facing a challenging stretch, are likely to be without their franchise player, Cade Cunningham, for the second straight game when they host the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Cunningham missed Saturday’s 111-100 loss to the Orlando Magic due to a hip injury sustained in Thursday’s overtime loss to Charlotte. The Pistons struggled offensively without him, committing 17 turnovers and managing just 16 assists.

“Obviously those injuries are tough when you take a blow to the tailbone-ish area,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “That’s the core of where your movement starts.”

Offensive Woes Without Cunningham

Cunningham’s absence left a significant void. The dynamic guard is averaging 23.5 points and 8.9 assists per game, and without his leadership, the Pistons lacked offensive cohesion. Orlando converted Detroit’s turnovers into 29 points, while the Pistons surrendered 17 offensive rebounds.

“Let them get too many easy baskets, let them get on the glass and things of that nature, get second-chance points,” forward Tobias Harris said. “We didn’t get enough ball movement in that second half to do that, and that hurt us — turnovers and lack of ball movement. We didn’t make many shots as well.”

The Pistons have now dropped three consecutive games, a skid they’ll look to halt against the Raptors. However, they’ll need improved contributions from their supporting cast, as no Detroit player scored more than 20 points in Cunningham’s absence against the Magic.

Raptors on a Road Struggle

Toronto enters Monday’s contest having lost 122-108 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, extending their road woes to 0-9 this season. A dismal first quarter, in which the Raptors were outscored 38-22, set the tone for the loss.

“To be honest with you, I wish we could play this team every week because we could learn a lot,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said, emphasizing the value of facing a top-tier opponent like Cleveland.

RJ Barrett, who scored a combined 70 points in Toronto’s wins over Indiana and Minnesota last week, was held to just 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting against the Cavaliers.

The Raptors are in the midst of a four-game road trip and need a win against Detroit to avoid tying their worst road start in franchise history, set during the 1997-98 season.

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Key Developments

Toronto could get a boost with the expected return of Bruce Brown, who has been rehabbing a knee injury since the offseason. Brown has yet to play this season but expressed optimism about his recovery.

“I was on one leg,” Brown said of last season’s struggles. “You could watch, first half I was pretty much fine, once the second half started and it got really stiff.”

The Pistons defeated the Raptors 99-95 on Nov. 15 during NBA Cup play, with Malik Beasley leading the way with 20 points. That victory came with Cunningham in the lineup, and Detroit will need to find a way to replicate that success without their star guard.

What’s at Stake

Both teams enter Monday’s matchup in search of much-needed momentum. For the Pistons, halting a three-game skid without their cornerstone player would be a morale boost. The Raptors, meanwhile, are desperate to secure their first road victory and avoid matching an ignominious franchise record.