Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 25 2026
Detroit just went into Miami and scored 128 points, and now the Pistons get a Philadelphia team that has to play Milwaukee the night before. That’s a pretty decent spot for Detroit. The 76ers are unbeaten too, but they had to dig themselves out of a 29-point hole against Cleveland. You can get away with that once in a while. Keep doing it and eventually somebody won’t let you back into the game. The Pistons have been scoring too well for Philadelphia to count on another comeback.
Detroit visits Philadelphia at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 PM ET. Both teams were 2-0 heading into Saturday, although the 76ers still have Milwaukee to deal with before this one. The betting market hasn’t settled on a reliable number yet, so I’m looking at Detroit +2.5 or better and the under if the total comes out at 228.5 or higher. Philadelphia’s lineup is another reason to wait on the actual prices. There’s a good chance the Sixers won’t have everybody available for both games this weekend. Make sure you are ready for all the NBA action with our free NBA picks.
Detroit Pistons Are Getting Plenty of Offense
Detroit opened the season by beating Boston 121-113 and followed that with a 128-111 win at Miami on Friday. That’s 124.5 points per game through two outings, and the Pistons haven’t needed overtime to get there. They were up 41-26 after the first quarter against Miami, watched the Heat cut into the lead, and then put up another 38 points in the third. The game was pretty much settled after that. Detroit went 59-23 last season, including 28-13 away from home, and the early results suggest the Pistons haven’t forgotten how to win on the road.
The shooting against Miami was something else. Detroit made 18 of 38 three-pointers, shot 52.8% overall, and finished with 34 assists on 47 made baskets. That’s a lot of good offense, although I wouldn’t expect 47% shooting from three every night. The Pistons also had 19 turnovers, and that’s the number Philadelphia will be interested in. Detroit was good enough offensively to get away with those mistakes Friday. It might not be so fortunate against a team that has already shown it can erase a big deficit. The Pistons did hold Miami to 38.2% shooting, so the defense wasn’t exactly taking the night off.
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John Collins led Detroit with 23 points against Miami, hitting five of his six three-point attempts. Paul Reed added 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham finished with 16 points and eight assists. Cunningham also had seven turnovers, which is something Detroit needs to clean up. There are injury concerns heading into Sunday. Jalen Duren left Friday’s game with a thigh problem after playing only ten minutes, and Ausar Thompson also exited early. Duren’s size matters against Philadelphia’s frontcourt, and Thompson gives Detroit another strong perimeter defender. If neither can play, the Pistons will have to get more from their bench. They handled those absences against Miami, but Philadelphia is a different matchup.
Philadelphia 76ers Have Been Living Dangerously
Philadelphia beat New York 106-100 in its opener and followed that with a 114-106 victory over Cleveland on Thursday. The 76ers were down 29 points against the Cavaliers before turning the game around. That’s a tremendous comeback, but I wouldn’t want to make a habit of it. Philadelphia scored 64 points in the second half after managing only 50 before halftime. The Sixers were 43-39 last season, including 23-18 at home, and they’re trying to build on that improvement. Sunday’s game is their third home contest of the season, but it’ll also be their second game in two nights.
Philadelphia is averaging 110 points through its first two games while allowing 103. That’s considerably less offense than Detroit has produced, although the Sixers have faced two pretty good defensive opponents. Cleveland committed 21 turnovers Thursday, and Philadelphia took advantage of those extra opportunities. That’s something the Pistons need to remember after giving the ball away 19 times against Miami. The 76ers have also been better defensively than Detroit’s first two opponents. But there’s a difference between defending Cleveland’s offense for one night and trying to slow a Detroit team that just made 18 threes and scored 128 points.
Tyrese Maxey has been Philadelphia’s most consistent scorer, putting up 28 against New York and 32 against Cleveland. Joel Embiid scored 24 against the Cavaliers, while Jaylen Brown added 21 and LeBron James finished with 17 points and ten rebounds. That’s plenty of offensive talent, but the weekend schedule complicates things. Embiid isn’t expected to play both games of the back-to-back, and James was questionable for Saturday because of back management. Philadelphia is also dealing with injuries to Dominick Barlow, Ariel Hukporti, Tacko Fall, and Dean Wade. The Sixers have enough talent to beat Detroit, but their available lineup Sunday could look quite different from the group that beat Cleveland.
Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers Picks and Predictions
Detroit Pistons +2.5 or Better
I’m taking Detroit if the Pistons are getting 2.5 points or more. Philadelphia has won both its games, but the Sixers have also spent a lot of time playing from behind. Detroit hasn’t had that problem. The Pistons scored 41 in the first quarter against Miami and put the game away with another big third quarter. Now Philadelphia has to play Milwaukee on Saturday before dealing with a Detroit team that’s had an extra day to rest. That matters, especially with Embiid and James potentially splitting the weekend games. I don’t love Detroit’s 19 turnovers against Miami, and the injuries to Duren and Thompson could become a real problem. But I like the Pistons’ chances of staying close, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they win outright. Give me Detroit with the points, provided we’re getting at least 2.5.
Under 228.5 or Higher
Detroit scoring 128 Friday makes the under look a little strange, doesn’t it? But I wouldn’t count on the Pistons making 18 threes again. They shot 47.4% from outside against Miami, and that’s not something you can reasonably expect every game. Philadelphia has allowed 100 and 106 points in its first two outings, and the Sixers should be trying to make this a more physical game rather than trading baskets with Detroit. The back-to-back could also hurt Philadelphia’s shooting legs, particularly late. The obvious concern is that Detroit keeps scoring at its current pace and Philadelphia gets enough offense from Maxey and the rest of its lineup to push this over. That’s possible. But if the Pistons come back toward a normal shooting percentage and Philadelphia keeps this game in the half court, I think we finish somewhere around 112-108. I’ll take the under at 228.5 or higher.
Final Picks: Detroit Pistons +2.5 or better and Under 228.5 or higher
Preview completed October 24, 2026.
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