Toronto Raptors – Detroit Pistons: 1st vs 5th in the East
First meeting of the season between two teams that have improved the most since last year. Detroit have sat on top of the East for months; the Raptors still harbour hopes of sneaking into second — or at least finishing top four to secure home court for Round 1. This one should be intriguing. Expect defense to set the tone.
Toronto Raptors: pushing for the top 4 
The Raptors close a five-game homestand with their toughest test. Before this, Darko Rajakovic’s side did the job: three wins in four, tidy victories over the Jazz (107-100), Bulls (123-107) and Pacers (122-104), sandwiched around a tight loss to Anthony Edwards and the Wolves (126-128). The recurring theme — and the reason most of Toronto’s wins look solid — is defense. They allow just 112.2 points per game, the 8th-best mark in the league.
Scottie Barnes is obviously the headline. A legitimate DPOY candidate, he holds the Raptors together on that end and is the main reason they win those gritty games. His defensive versatility has helped Toronto nick key wins and build confidence in the playoff chase — remember the 103-101 road win in Oklahoma City a few weeks back. Offensively, Brandon Ingram will want to mark his second All-Star selection with a strong night.
INJURY REPORT : Collin Murray-Boyles (OUT) – Jakob Poeltl (questionable)
Detroit Pistons: 40th win before the break? 
If you’d suggested in October that the Pistons would be ruling the East, people would have laughed. Four months later J.B. Bickerstaff’s team roll into the All-Star break window at 39-13, matching the Thunder for fewest losses. They’ve built a comfortable lead atop the East — 5.5 games clear of the Celtics in second.
Beating the Raptors in Canada won’t be easy, but Detroit have shown they can win in hostile places: 17 wins in 24 road games says a lot. The recent 110-104 win in Charlotte proved that. That game may have come at a cost down low — Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart were involved in an altercation with Moussa Diabaté and Miles Bridges, and while the league hasn’t announced punishments yet, it’s unlikely they’ll play tonight.
INJURY REPORT : Ron Holland II (OUT) – Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart (suspensions pending ??)
NBA Pick Toronto Raptors vs Detroit Pistons
Under 226.5 points
Both teams win by shutting opponents down — Raptors are the 8th-best defense, Pistons sit third. They haven’t met yet this season, so there’s some guesswork, but this looks like a game where defense will blunt the offenses. Both clubs have scoring talent, sure, but expect a controlled, lower-scoring affair.
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