Detroit Pistons vs. Sacramento Kings Picks and Prediction for Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Use Code WWWC Detroit Pistons (22-6) vs. Sacramento Kings (7-22)
The 2025-26 NBA season goes on Tuesday, December 23, with the Detroit Pistons squaring off against the Sacramento Kings in the cross-conference clash at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA, and we’ve got you covered with our Pistons vs. Kings prediction.
Detroit meets Sacramento for the first time this season. They split a two-game set in 2024-25, with each team emerging victorious away from home. Detroit beat Sacramento 114-113 at Golden 1 Center, and the Kings responded with a 127-117 victory at Little Caesars Arena.
Read more about this Pistons vs. Kings prediction, and check out all our NBA picks for Tuesday’s huge 14-game card. The tip-off at Golden 1 Center is set at 10:00 PM ET.
The Pistons play without rest
Monday’s games have been excluded from this preview, and the Detroit Pistons visited the Portland Trail Blazers to start their five-game road trip. The Pistons have won five of their last six contests and were topping the Eastern Conference on Monday morning.
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Detroit beat the Charlotte Hornets 112-86 this past Saturday, covering a 10.5-point spread in front of the home audience. It was another strong defensive performance by the Pistons, who boast the second-best defensive rating in the NBA (110.5 points allowed per 100 possessions).
The Pistons’ defense is third in the league in 2-point percentage (51.0%) and 10th in 3-point percentage (35.0%). On the other side of the ball, Detroit tallies 117.1 points per 100 possessions (9th) on 55.0% shooting from inside the arc (tied for 13th) and 34.5% from downtown (tied for 21st).
Cade Cunningham leads the way for the Pistons with 27.0 points, 9.2 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game. Jalen Duren averages 18.0 points and 11.0 rebounds, while Tobias Harris adds 13.6 points and 5.0 boards a night.
The Kings hope for another upset
The Sacramento Kings put an end to their five-game losing streak last Sunday. They stunned the Houston Rockets 125-124 in overtime, playing as 12.5-point home underdogs. Sacramento outrebounded Houston 55-47 while posting 19 offensive rebounds.
Dennis Schroder made a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Kings over the Rockets. Schroder finished the game with 24 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan had 27 points and nine assists.
Zach LaVine (20.2 PPG) missed his third straight game with an ankle injury, and the Kings’ leading scorer is doubtful for Tuesday’s clash against Detroit. Domantas Sabonis (17.2 PPG, 12.3 RPG) is out with a knee injury, and he’ll remain on the shelf for a few more weeks.
The Kings were 14th in the Western Conference on Monday morning, five and a half games behind the No. 10 seed. Sacramento ranked 29th in adjusted offensive efficiency (109.3 points per 100 possessions) and 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency (119.6).
Pistons vs. Kings Pick
Spread Pick for Pistons vs. Kings
- Detroit Pistons (4 units)
This is a tough spot for the Pistons. They have to deal with fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back, but I cannot take the Kings despite their solid performance against the Rockets.
The Kings have been one of the worst teams in the league all season. They are in the bottom seven in the league in both defensive and offensive rebound percentage, and no team makes fewer 3-pointers per 100 possessions than Sacramento (10.3).
Moreover, the Kings’ defense has been awful thus far. Sacramento ranks 29th in opposing 2-point percentage (59.2%) and 11th in 3-point percentage (35.3%). The Pistons will attack the paint all night, and they should dominate the Kings on the glass.
Over/Under Pick for Pistons vs. Kings
- Under (4 units)
Both teams prefer to play at a fast pace, but I have to take the under. The Kings’ offensive efficiency has been terrible this season, and now, the Kings will take on one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Neither side leans on 3-pointers. Detroit is 27th in the league in 3-point rate (.350), and Sacramento ranks 29th in this category (.339).
The Pistons love to get to the free-throw line. I expect them to take a lot of free throws in this matchup, given the Kings’ defensive shortcomings, but I don’t think that’s going to be enough to push the total over the line.
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