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The NBA season tips off in the Motor City as the Pistons host the Celtics in the first game of a season opening triple-header.
The Pistons finished No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standings last season followed by the Celtics, but both teams fell short of their ultimate goal. The two contenders clash in an intriguing opener that will be our first look at their offseason additions.
The spread for this game is essentially a pick’em with most books listing the Celtics 1.5-point favorites on the road and the Over/Under hovering around 222 total points.
Celtics vs. Pistons prediction
We’ve seen drastically different versions of these two teams over the past 365 days.
When last season tipped off, Jayson Tatum was still working his way back from an Achilles injury, Jaylen Brown was on the team, and Neemias Queta looked like a placeholder at center. Brown is gone, replaced by Paul George, Queta became a legitimate center option but the C’s also added Mitchell Robinson in free agency.
The Pistons’ makeover wasn’t quite as drastic. They swapped Tobias Harris for John Collins, added former champion Isaiah Joe to their bench and parted ways with big man enforcer Isaiah Stewart.
The postseason revealed a ton of flaws for both sides.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t play the young players on his bench for much of the series, then threw out a Game 7 starting lineup that featured two players who started nine games combined in the regular season. His 3-point heavy philosophy backfired as the Celtics shot 26 percent from beyond the arc and lost the deciding game on their home floor.
Shooting woes also plagued the Pistons in the postseason.
Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson made more than half of the team’s 3s, while guard Daniss Jenkins and center Jalen Duren shrank under the bright lights.
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After a tumultuous offseason, Duren could be even more motivated to prove doubters wrong, but his first matchup out of the gate will be against two good centers in Robinson and Queta who can protect the rim.
I think the Celtics are the right side in this matchup. They have enough big bodies to guard Cunningham and force other Pistons players to create their own shot. The Celtics have three players in their who can initiate offense or play off the ball with Tatum, George and Derrick White.
It should be a close game, but I’ll bet on Boston to snag the win in the opener.
The Pick: Celtics -1.5 (-105, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.