Date: November 24, 2025

Time: 7:10 PM EST

Spread: Pistons -9.5

Total: 234.5 (Under)

Red-Hot Pistons Look to Capitalize on Decimated Pacers Roster

Two teams on opposite trajectories clash as the Detroit Pistons visit the Indiana Pacers. The Pistons are flying high, boasting an impressive 14-2 record and riding a nine-game winning streak. The Pacers, conversely, are reeling from a catastrophic wave of injuries that has completely altered the outlook of their season, making the visiting Pistons heavy 9.5-point favorites.

Pistons Navigating Injuries Amidst Dominant Stretch

The Pistons have established themselves as one of the league’s elite teams, winning nine consecutive games. Their success has been so profound that they have managed to keep the streak alive even with their two franchise cornerstones, Cade Cunningham (hip) and Jalen Duren, missing the last two contests. While their status for tonight’s game remains a key storyline, Detroit has proven it has the depth to compete and win without them.

The question for Detroit isn’t if they can win, but by how much. Facing a depleted opponent, they will look to maintain their rhythm and extend their dominant run as they continue their early-season surge.

Pacers Facing Season-Altering Injury Crisis

To say the Pacers are “banged up” would be a colossal understatement. The team is in dire straits, with an injury report so extensive one report noted they can “barely field a team.” The most devastating blow is the loss of All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is reported to be out for the entire 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on his right Achilles tendon.

The injuries don’t stop there. Multiple reports from recent weeks have listed key contributors like T.J. McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, and Obi Toppin as dealing with various ailments. Without Haliburton, the engine of their high-powered offense, the Pacers face an almost insurmountable challenge in generating points and keeping pace with a team of Detroit’s caliber. The primary focus for Indiana will be on how players like Mathurin can step up in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Prediction

This matchup presents a stark contrast in fortunes. The Pistons are a well-oiled machine, even when missing key parts. The Pacers are a shell of themselves, missing their most important player for the season.

The 9.5-point spread is large for a road favorite, but it feels insufficient given the circumstances. Detroit has demonstrated it can win without Cunningham and Duren, and they are playing a team that has lost its identity. The Pacers’ offense, once their greatest strength, will struggle mightily to score without Haliburton’s elite playmaking. It’s hard to envision Indiana keeping this game within single digits.

The total of 234.5 seems too high. The Pacers are unlikely to contribute enough offensively to push the game over this number, and the Pistons may be able to take their foot off the gas in the second half.

The Pick: Pistons -9.5

Total: Under 234.5

Final Score Prediction: Pistons 118 – Pacers 102

Sources:
Detroit Pistons Injury Status – ESPN
Detroit Pistons Injury Report and Status 2025-26 – CBS Sports
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Detroit Pistons Injury Report #detroitpistons #detroitbasketball #nba
Pistons injury report has Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren out vs Bulls
Detroit Pistons injury report for tonight’s game vs Atlanta …
Sacramento Kings vs Detroit Pistons Injury Report
Pistons injury report update, latest on Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren
Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons Injury Report
Detroit Pistons Injury Status – ESPN (UK)