Cavaliers at Pistons: NBA Betting Tips

Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference will get acquainted with each other with the first of two meetings in less than a week between the Cavaliers and Pistons. Detroit has led the pack for most of the season and is challenging OKC for the best overall record in the NBA.

The Cavs have been on a team winning 13 of 15 games following Tuesday’s win over the Knicks matching New York for the third-best record in the conference. The teams will meet on Friday and again on Tuesday concluding the season series that’s tied at 1-1.

Cavaliers at Pistons Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons meet in the third of four meetings this season on Friday, February 27, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET with television coverage provided by ESPN.

Public Betting Odds Factors

Over the past month the Cavs have looked a lot like the team that finished first in the East last season with 64 wins. They had a 7-game winning streak stopped with a loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday. They started a new streak beating New York 109-94 on Tuesday.

Starting with a win over Charlotte on Jan. 21, the Cavs won 13 of their next 15 games going 10-5 against the NBA spread in that span. Before their run of success the Cavs were floundering around .500.

In an effort to bolster a stagnant offense and maximize their championship window, the Cavs dealt for James Harden at the deadline. It also showed the rest of the team that management is serious about a deep playoff run. Harden and the team have worked well together winning the first 5 games and 6 of 7 after the deal.

Harden has accepted his role as playmaker averaging 8 assists per game since joining the Cavs. He can still fill it up when needed, averaging 18.9 points while playing about 3 minutes less per game than he did with the Clippers.

The Pistons are in the middle of a difficult stretch of games that began with a loss to San Antonio in a physical affair. Detroit hosts West leader OKC on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Cavs.

Cade Cunningham is in the MVP discussion putting together a strong season for the East leaders. However, games like the one he had against the Spurs will hurt his chances. Cunningham was just 5 of 26 from the field scoring 16 points in the 114-103 loss. The good news for Pistons fans is that those games are rare.

Cavaliers at Pistons Predictions

A big part of Detroit’s success is due to their play at home. The Pistons boast the best home record in the East winning 75 percent of their games. However, they have lost 2 of their last 3 home tilts, including a head scratching 126-117 setback to Washington earlier this month.

Detroit also boasts one of the top defenses in the NBA allowing the third-fewest points per game and holding opponents to 44.1 percent field goal shooting, second best in the NBA. That’s helped them cash the UNDER in more than 60 percent of their home games.

Cavaliers at Pistons Betting Tips

The Cavs are 6-1 SU and 4-3 against the NBA betting line in 7 games with Harden in the lineup.

There has been an uptick in offensive efficiency since getting Harden, taking care of a problem the team faced. Harden’s ability to distribute the basketball while remaining a scoring threat keeps opposing defenses honest. The Cavs are the third-highest scoring team in the NBA but eclipsed their average in 7 games with Harden.

Detroit leads the NBA in blocks per game often altering opponent shots and forcing lower percentage looks. However, leading shot blocker Isaiah Stewart is still out serving a suspension for his involvement in a disturbance before the All-Star break.

Cavaliers at Pistons Head to Head and Key Stats

The Cavs took advantage of a struggling Detroit club to win 12 straight games between 2022 and 2025. With the Pistons emerging from a rebuild they’ve won 2 of the last 3 encounters.