Charlotte Hornets vs Detroit Pistons Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 12/20/25

This is purely about reading the market and understanding how perception shapes price. Detroit has been outstanding at home, sitting 11–2 in their own building and holding the best record in the Eastern Conference. They look the part of a legitimate contender, and backing the Pistons here feels safe, logical, and comfortable. That’s exactly why the number is where it is. Charlotte, meanwhile, brings almost no appeal to the table. The Hornets are 9–18 overall, have won just three games on the road, and are widely viewed as a lottery-bound team. When you stack those optics next to Detroit’s dominance, the natural reaction is to lay the points and move on. Oddsmakers know this — and they’ve priced the game accordingly.

Detroit doesn’t need to press here; they just need to handle business. Charlotte, on the other hand, enters with nothing to lose and everything to gain, which is often when underdogs play their most relaxed and competitive basketball. This is a wager which accounts for the market stretching the line to cater towards Detroit’s popularity. When one side becomes the obvious choice, value almost always lives on the other. We’ll take the inflated points and let the math work in our favor.

Hornets vs Pistons prediction: Hornets +10.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +10