I'm bullish on Detroit more than most and have been turned off by Atlanta. The Pistons played one of the toughest schedules in the NBA, with games against six Eastern Conference playoff contenders to start the season, but have responded nicely, winning two of their last three, with the lone loss an unfortunate buzzer beater versus Charlotte.

The Hawks beat an underperforming Knicks team the other night and took advantage of an injured Pelicans squad, but they have otherwise been a bad bet, losing straight-up to Washington (twice) and Brooklyn as spread favorites and failing to cover as a favorite against Charlotte. They also failed to cover large spreads as underdogs against Boston, Sacramento and OKC.

On top of that, ATL is down several players, as DeAndre Hunter and several guards are sidelined. They are weak on the perimeter, ranking 30th in opponent 3PT%, and weak defensively overall, ranking 27th in opponent eFG%. I predict the Pistons will rise to the occasion on Friday, beating the Hawks at home.