Rockets vs. Pistons

Our data-backed preference for Detroit is bolstered by their league-leading 99.5 defensive rating in January and a dominant 18-4 home record. We expect the Pistons’ +3.2 Net Rating improvement to overwhelm a weary Rockets team currently on a five-game road skid and playing the second leg of a back-to-back after a grueling overtime loss in Philadelphia yesterday. Houston’s significant 8.2% dip in road offensive success rate makes this a prime spot for the Eastern Conference leaders to exploit a frustrated Rockets offense that struggled through a 12-of-24 free-throw performance in their last outing.