Rockets vs. Pistons prediction, odds, line, time: 2026 NBA picks for Friday, Jan. 23

The Houston Rockets look to get back on track when they take on the Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons in NBA action on Friday night. Houston is coming off a 128-122 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, while Detroit posted a 112-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The Rockets (26-16), who are second in the Southwest Division, are 11-13 on the road this season. The Pistons (32-10), who are 10-4 against Western Conference foes, are 17-4 on their home court. Cade Cunningham (hip) is questionable for Detroit, while Houston hasn’t released its injury report.

Tipoff from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Pistons lead the all-time series 77-75, and have won two straight in the series. Detroit is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Rockets vs. Pistons odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 217.5. Before making any Rockets vs. Pistons picks, check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model enters Week 14 of the 2025-26 NBA season on a sizzling 35-15 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.   

Now, the model has simulated Rockets vs. Pistons 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Pistons vs. Rockets:

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How to make Rockets vs. Pistons picks

After 10,000 simulations of Pistons vs. Rockets, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (217.5). The total has gone Over in two of the past six head-to-head games. The SportsLine model is projecting Houston’s Kevin Durant to score 22.2 points on average and be one of six Rockets players to score 10.2 or more points. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, is projected to have 23.1 points if he’s able to go, as four Pistons players score 10.7 points or more. The teams combine for 220 total points and the Over hits in 53% of simulations.

It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks. 

So who wins Pistons vs. Rockets, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Pistons spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.