The early returns show a tight race between the Philadelphia 76ers (7-1) and Detroit Pistons (6-1) atop the Eastern Conference, with about 9% of the NBA season completed. Wednesday's marquee matchup features the 76ers visiting the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena, with Detroit favored by 2.5 points. The Pistons have won the last six meetings, including a 106-93 victory on Oct. 25. Philadelphia has been average offensively (110.6 points per 100 possessions, 19th in league), while Detroit leads the league in defensive efficiency (102 points allowed per 100 possessions). The SportsLine Projection Model gives Detroit a 54% chance to cover the spread.
Mavericks at Spurs
In San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs host Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Spurs won the previous meeting 122-106 on Oct. 24, but Flagg missed that game due to a shoulder ailment. San Antonio has averaged 118.9 points per 100 possessions during a five-game winning streak. Flagg has averaged 26.3 points, 7.8 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks over his last four games. The model predicts a high-scoring game, with a 58.2% chance the teams combine for 227 points or more, grading the Over 226.5 a 'B'.
College football best bets
Several Mid-American Conference games highlight the college football slate. UMass (4-4, 1-3 MAC) hosts Ball State (3-5, 2-2) as a 3-point favorite. The Minutemen have lost four straight after a 4-0 start, but face a Cardinals defense allowing 35.3 points per game (131st nationally). The model gives UMass a 65% chance to cover, grading Minutemen -3 a 'B'.
Toledo (6-2, 3-1 MAC) visits Sacramento State (2-7, 1-5) with the Hornets getting 25.5 points. Sacramento State forced five turnovers in its first MAC win over Kent State, while Toledo has turned the ball over six times in its last three games. The model gives the Hornets a 74% chance to cover, assigning a strong 'A' grade to Sacramento State +25.5.
Central Michigan (3-5, 1-3 MAC) and Eastern Michigan (4-5, 3-2 MAC) meet at Ford Field in Detroit. Both offenses have improved in conference play: Eastern Michigan averages 25 points in MAC games vs. 16.8 in non-conference; Central Michigan averages 24 vs. 11.8. The total has gone Over 44.5 in six of each team's nine games. The model projects a 62.5% chance for Over 44.5, grading it a strong 'A'.
