Cavaliers vs. Pistons line, picks: Advanced computer NBA model releases selections for Thursday matchup

The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Detroit Pistons in a divisional clash at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday. Cleveland is favored by seven points at Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over-Under is set at 209 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds page). 

Before making any Cavaliers vs. Pistons picks, you NEED to check out the NBA predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 69-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,300. Anyone following it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows the Cavaliers are elite on the defensive end. Opponents are scoring fewer than 1.06 points per possession against Cleveland this season, and no team allows fewer free-throw attempts than the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are holding opponents to 44.2 percent shooting from the floor and 50.5 percent shooting on 2-point attempts, with a top-10 mark in 3-point accuracy allowed. Cleveland is also in the top five of the NBA in both assists allowed and second-chance points allowed.

The model also knows the Pistons are aggressive on defense. Detroit is No. 6 in the NBA in creating turnovers, forcing 15.2 per game. The Pistons are also in the top eight in steals with 7.7 per contest, and Detroit is in the top 10 in fast-break points allowed and second-chance points allowed. Cleveland is below-average on offense, including the NBA's fourth-worst mark in turnovers per game. The Cavaliers are also in the bottom third of the league in free-throw creation on offense.

Now, it has set its sights on Cavaliers vs. Pistons. We can tell you the model is leaning under the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any NBA picks.

Who wins Cavaliers vs. Pistons? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Cavaliers vs. Pistons spread you should be all over Thursday, all from the model on a roll on NBA picks!