Pistons vs Celtics Picks, Prediction, Player Props, Injury Reports & Closing Odds

• The Detroit Pistons present significant value as underdogs against the Boston Celtics
• The Pistons have won their last four games as road underdogs (dating back to last season)
• See my favorite Pistons vs Celtics picks, predictions, and props to target, plus the injury reports and updated odds

An Eastern Conference clash presents an intriguing betting scenario as the Detroit Pistons (20-5, 8-3 away, ATS, O/U) travel to face the Boston Celtics (15-10, 8-4 home, ATS, O/U) on Monday, December 16, at 7:00 pm ET from TD Garden.

The game will be broadcast on Peacock, NBCS-BOS, and FDSDET.

Below, I will dissect the statistical trends, key player matchups, and betting angles to identify the best Pistons vs Celtics picks, predictions, and player props to target.

Jump to: PICKS || PLAYER PROPS || INJURY REPORTS || ODDS

Best Bets, Predictions & Picks for Pistons vs Celtics

DET vs BOS Moneyline Pick: Detroit Pistons (+110) at Caesars Sportsbook

The most compelling trend supporting Detroit centers on their recent road performance as underdogs. The Pistons have won their last four games straight-up on the road as an underdog (dating back to last season), showcasing remarkable resilience in precisely this spot. Facing a Celtics team still searching for consistency without the injured Jayson Tatum (Achilles), Detroit has a great chance to avenge its narrow 117-114 loss at Boston three weeks ago.

The moneyline offers superior value compared to the minuscule 1.5-point spread. While the Pistons are just 1-3 against the spread on the road in their last four games, their ability to win these games outright makes the moneyline the smarter play. With Cunningham orchestrating the offense and Harris providing veteran scoring punch, Detroit possesses the talent to outpace a Celtics squad still adjusting its rotations without Tatum.

Game-Total Pick: Over 229.5 (-106) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Both teams enter with strong indicators pointing toward a higher-scoring affair. The over has hit in four of Boston’s last five games as a favorite, while Detroit has hit the over in three of the four games as an underdog.

Expect a competitive game where both offenses find enough rhythm to push this total past the 229.5-point threshold, especially given Detroit’s preference for a fast-paced attack and Boston’s need to generate offense through increased possessions.

Best Player Prop: Tobias Harris Over 12.5 Points (-127) at DraftKings Sportsbook

The player prop market presents exceptional opportunity with Harris’s point total set at just 12.5 (as high as 14.5 at some books). This line is significantly undervalued for a player of his caliber, particularly in a game where Detroit will need secondary scoring alongside Cade Cunningham (26.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 9.1 APG).

Harris (14.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.3 APG) serves as a reliable bucket-getter and veteran presence who should benefit from Boston’s defensive attention focused on slowing Cunningham. With favorable matchups likely throughout, Harris can clear this modest line with solid, but not spectacular, production.

Celtics vs Pistons Player Props

Market Movement:

Jaylen Brown’s scoring line opened at 29.5 and has held firm, but the under odds have tightened shortened from -115 to -120 at major books. Brown’s elevated usage rate without Tatum has pushed this number into rarified air for non-superstars.

Cade Cunningham’s assist prop presents an interesting split across sportsbooks. While the consensus has settled at 9.5, several books including MGM and BetRivers remain at 8.5. The movement to 9.5 at FanDuel and other major operators suggests expectations for high-volume playmaking, though the -121 consensus odds on the under indicate reaching double-digits remains challenging.

Jalen Duren’s rebounding line at 11.5 represents one of the tightest markets, with nearly even money on both sides (-115/-114).

Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics Closing Odds

Monday’s NBA odds position Boston as a slim 1.5-point home favorite and -122 (or slightly shorter) on the moneyline. DraftKings has the best moneyline price on the Celtics while Caesars has the best moneyline price on Detroit.

The game total is 229.5 across the board with only slight discrepancies in the odds. This is a one-point drop from the opening number of 230.5.

After removing the sportsbook’s vig, the moneyline odds imply a 53.57% probability of a Celtics victory compared to 46.43% for Detroit. A successful $10 wager on Detroit’s moneyline at +110 would yield $11 in profit, while the same bet on Boston at -122 would return $8.20.

Odds commentary as of 4:19 pm ET. The lines in the table will update automatically with the best-available price for each market if the lines move before tip-off.

DET vs BOS Public-Betting Splits

The public betting data reveals a fascinating divergence between casual bettors and larger wagers, particularly on the moneyline, offering compelling support for backing the underdog Pistons.

Moneyline: The public favors the home team, with Boston attracting 65.3% of all moneyline bets. However, the money tells a different story entirely. Detroit, despite receiving only 34.7% of the bets, has captured 53.5% of the total handle. This sharp versus public divergence typically indicates that while more individual tickets back the favorite, larger, more-confident wagers support the underdog to win outright.

Spread: Bettors show strong confidence in Detroit’s ability to keep this game competitive. A majority of both bet count (58.0%) and money (61.6%) backs the Pistons to cover the spread, with the higher money percentage reinforcing that significant wagers favor Detroit.

Total: Overwhelming consensus suggests a high-scoring affair, with the Over receiving 73.1% of bets and 75.1% of the total money wagered. This strong alignment between public and sharp money supports our prediction for the game to exceed 229.5 points.

DET vs BOS Team Statistics H2H

A deep statistical dive reveals two teams with contrasting offensive philosophies, where Boston’s superior efficiency metrics clash with Detroit’s advantages in pace and interior scoring, creating compelling mismatches that favor the underdog

The numbers reveal a glaring mismatch favoring Detroit’s interior attack. The Pistons average 57.7 points in the paint per game, compared to Boston’s 42.7 – a staggering 15-point differential that highlights Detroit’s physical, rim-attacking style.

Detroit’s superior Total Rebound Percentage (52.9% vs 50.4%) suggests they can control the glass and create additional possessions. While Boston boasts higher efficiency per possession, they live and die by the three-pointer with 43.5 attempts per game. Without Tatum’s shot creation, the pressure mounts on Brown to carry the offensive load. If his perimeter shooting struggles, Boston’s half-court offense could stagnate.

DET vs BOS Injury Reports

Boston’s depth concerns are compounded by the questionable status of role players Boucher and Harper Jr. If unable to play, the Celtics’ rotation becomes dangerously thin, forcing main players into heavy minutes against Detroit’s up-tempo style.

Conversely, Detroit enters with their core rotation intact, providing a major advantage in depth and energy against the depleted Celtics. This health disparity serves as a primary driver behind the strong value in the Pistons moneyline (+102).

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