The NBA doesn’t have complete independence from Martin Luther King Day this time around as does the college football National Championship, but it’s still a day full of basketball. Monday’s schedule, which begins at 1:00 pm ET, is highlighted by an 8:00 pm ET showdown on NBC between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. This is undoubtedly a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals that could take place.
Let’s get into my Celtics vs. Pistons.
Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons odds
Money line: Celtics +120 / Pistons -140
Spread: Celtics +3 (-110) / Pistons -3 (-110)
Total: Over 224.5 (-108) / Under 224.5 (-112)
Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons best bet #1: Pistons -3 (-110)
The Pistons (30-10) are the best team in the East and the second best team in the NBA behind the defending champion Thunder. It’s the same story at home. With a 16-4 home record, Detroit is the best team in the East and the second best team in the league in its own gym. Head coach JB Bickerstaff’s team has already beaten Boston once in Detroit this season (119-113 on Oct. 26) and leads the series 2-1 overall (most recently a 112-105 win at TD Garden on Dec. 15).
Cade Cunningham and company have held four of their last five opponents under 100 points. The only exception is the 105-point output by Phoenix in a win over Detroit last Thursday. As if things couldn’t be difficult enough for the Celtics already, Payton Pritchard (16.6 ppg) is questionable on Monday with an ankle injury. It kept him out of Saturday’s game against the Hawks, so he is in danger of missing this one as well. The Celtics are 2-4 in their last six games, while the Pistons are 4-2 ATS in their last six. Detroit is also 5-2 ATS in the last seven head-to-head games and 3-0 ATS in the last three at home against Boston.
Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons best player prop bets: Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 three-pointers (+100)
Robinson is red hot right now – and that’s an understatement. The former Williams College and Michigan standout has completed at least four games in four straight contests, including five against the Clippers on Jan. 10. During that span, Robinson is 17-for-27 (63.0 percent) from downtown.
Now he has a great deal on his hands with Boston, allowing 14.4 three-pointers per game in 2025-26 — fifth most in the NBA. This number has increased to 15.3 in the last three games. The Celtics are also shooting 10 percent better from deep (36.8 percent).
