Why the Pistons at -3.5 is the play as the NBA Playoffs second round gets underway in Detroit
The NBA Playoffs second round began with the Detroit Pistons hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking a rematch of Eastern Conference foes with closely contested regular season matchups. The Cavaliers struggled in the first round despite having stars like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, while the Pistons overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Magic to advance. Analysts view the Pistons as a strong betting pick at -3.5 due to their momentum and coaching advantage.
- ▪The Pistons and Cavaliers faced off in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs in Detroit.
- ▪Detroit advanced after overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Orlando Magic, winning Game 7 by 22 points.
- ▪Cleveland lost all three of their first-round road games despite winning four at home.
- ▪Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff previously coached the Cavaliers and is familiar with their roster.
- ▪Regular season matchups between the two teams were decided by four points or fewer in three of four games.
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Sports Why the Pistons at -3.5 is the play as the NBA Playoffs second round gets underway in Detroit Regular season meetings were decided by four or fewer points in three of four games between the Eastern Conference foes By David Troy Fox News Published May 5, 2026 12:10pm EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video All eyes on James Harden, Kevin Durant and Nick Wright during NBA playoffs 😅 will Knicks get the job done? | First Things First Nick Wright unveils who has the most to lose in the NBA playoffs, featuring James Harden, Kevin Durant and himself. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The NBA Playoffs had their second round begin Monday. We were treated to two games, and one was significantly better than the other.
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