Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons Picks and Predictions, Friday, January 23rd, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Houston Rockets (26-15) and the Detroit Pistons (32-10) will face off in a matchup of likely playoff teams on Friday night in this Rockets vs. Pistons prediction. Houston will be playing their second game in two nights, as they are in Philly to play the 76ers on Thursday night (Note: This article was published before Thursday's results). These teams already met once this season, with Detroit pulling out a 115-111 win on the road in October. Tipoff is set for 7:00 EST and can be found on Amazon Prime. Keep reading to see our Rockets vs. Pistons prediction, and make some money with out top NBA Picks.
Houston Heads East
The Houston Rockets come into their quick Eastern Conference road trip with positive momentum, as they have won all of their last three games coming into Thursday night. Houston took down the Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Spurs all on their home floor in Houston, and now are facing a two game road trip against Philly and Detroit. Houston is currently 4th in the Western Conference.
In their last game, Houston grabbed a win against the Spurs on NBC, led by Alperen Sengun who had 20 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the win. Sengun is their 23-year old center out of Turkey, he made his first All-Star appearance last season, and is hoping to repeat that again this year. He is averaging 21.5 PPG and 9.3 RPG inside for the Rockets. Kevin Durant is hoping to lead another Western Conference team to the NBA Finals, the future Hall of Famer is getting 25.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG as the top scorer for Houston. Amen Thompson is an important piece for Houston, he can play any position one through four, and is contributing 18.5 PPG with 7.7 RPG.
In their recent win over the Spurs, Reed Sheppard was their leading scorer with 21 points off the bench, and is another building block for the future. Jabari Smith Jr. is an athletic big with a stat line including 15.5 PPG and 6.9 RPG. Houston is currently ranked 5th in offensive efficiency and 3rd in defensive efficiency according to dunksandthrees.com. The Rockets are ranked 27th in the league in possessions per game, as they play at a slow pace.
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Pistons Stay Hot
The Detroit Pistons have been the surprise team of the NBA season, and they are keeping up their strong display as they have won each of their last four games, and seven of their last eight. Detroit is currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and hold a 5.5-game lead over the second place Celtics. They have the day off on Thursday, after grabbing a win over the Pelicans on the road in their most recent action. In that win, Detroit was led by Jalen Duren with 20 points and 15 rebounds in the win.
Duren has been one of the best kept secrets in the league, as the strong 22-year old center is putting up a strong campaign with 17.8 PPG and 10.9 RPG. The Pistons are the top team in the East, and teams with similar records typically get two or more All-Stars, so with Cade Cunningham grabbing a spot, there is a real chance Duren puts on an All-Star jersey this season. Cunningham is a former number one overall pick, and is leading the Pistons rebuild with his 25.7 PPG and 9.8 APG. Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, Cunningham will have an interesting case for MVP. He is listed an questionable for this game with a hip injury.
Tobias Harris is a veteran presence on the wing getting 13.7 PPG, while Duncan Robinson is a reliable outside shooter adding another 12.2 PPG. Detroit is currently ranked 20th in offensive efficiency and 2nd in defensive efficiency. The Pistons play faster than the Rockets, ranking 13th in the league in possessions per game.
Injury Report for Rockets vs. Pistons:
Rockets:
- Out: Fred Van Vleet, Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday
Pistons:
- Questionable: Cade Cunningham, Caris LeVert
Rockets vs. Pistons Picks and Predictions
Spread pick for Rockets vs. Pistons
- Pistons to cover (5 units)
Detroit is in a good spot here for multiple reasons. First, they have the rest advantage, as Houston has to play in Philly on Thursday night while battling Embiid in the middle and chasing Maxey on the outside. Similarly, Detroit has another day to get healthy, and it is likely that Cunningham will be able to play here as he is only fighting a minor injury. Detroit should get a couple extra points on the line with the uncertainty around Cunningham, and Detroit still has a loaded offense which has been able to control the Eastern Conference all season. Back to back games are not good for Durant, who is a a veteran in the league with a long injury history. The young Pistons get the win and cover here.
Over/Under Pick for Rockets vs. Pistons
- Under (4 units)
The Detroit defense is going to be a problem in this game, the kind of problem that keeps Houston from putting up a big number offensively. The Pistons rank 2nd in the league in defensive efficiency, and have athletes all over the floor that an matchup with this Houston team. An issue which has been building for Houston is their lack of a true point guard, they have tried Thompson, Durant and Sengun, but none of those options has been a natural fit. The Rockets are on their second game in two nights, and already play at a slow pace as they rank 27th in the league in possessions per game. Expect a low scoring game here.
Take the under.
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