PICKS & PARLAYS

The Detroit Pistons (45-17), owners of the East's best record and a three-game skid that nobody saw coming, fly into Kaseya Center to face the Miami Heat (35-29) on Sunday, March 8, tipping off at 6:00 PM ET, with Cade Cunningham listed as a game-time decision due to a left quad contusion and Ausar Thompson confirmed out with a right ankle sprain. Detroit is playing the second night of a back-to-back after dropping a Saturday home game to Brooklyn, a squad that entered the week with the NBA's longest losing streak. Miami, meanwhile, just knocked off Charlotte on Friday in a 128-120 thriller and has a full day of rest. The Pistons opened as -1.5 road favorites depending on the book, and the total sits around 222.5, setting up one of those spots where the favorite's credentials and the actual conditions they're walking into are telling two different stories.

The Boston Celtics (42-21) visit Rocket Arena on Sunday, March 8 to face the Cleveland Cavaliers (39-24) in an ABC national showcase with genuine East playoff-seeding stakes, tipping off at 1:00 PM ET. Jarrett Allen is out with knee tendinitis, Donovan Mitchell is probable after sitting four straight games with a groin issue, and Jayson Tatum clears the injury report entirely for his first road start since tearing his Achilles last May. Cleveland opened as a slim home favorite, with the line sitting between Cavaliers -1 and -1.5 depending on the book, and the total ranging from 223.5 to 224.5 across books. Two bottom-five pace teams on the floor, the #1 defense in the NBA showing up on the road, and a starting center on the shelf for the home squad: 224.5 is a number bettors should find very interesting.

The Wizards and Pelicans and the Pistons and Heat are squaring off on Sunday, with Dejounte Murray and New Orleans looking for a win in front of their home crowd. Duncan Robinson and the Pistons visit Miami seeking to capture a big win. McBets is targeting both players in his two game parlay.

The Knicks will look to reassert themselves in the East on Sunday afternoon as they take on the Lakers on ABC. Can OG Anunoby help the Knicks stay hot on the road? The Wolf is targeting the star guard in his Knicks vs. Lakers best bet today for Sunday, March 8th.

Jayson Tatum finally returned for the Celtics on Friday night, and will take the court for the second time on Sunday in a showdown with the Cavs. Can the Celtics reclaim their dominance on Sunday with a statement road victory as their star returns? The Wolf analyzes the top Jayson Tatum props and EV edges from the oddschecker+ Positive EV Tool for Celtics vs. Cavs on March 8th.