Pistons vs. Cavaliers Game 1: 2026 NBA Playoff Picks and Best Bets From Proven Model

Pistons vs. Cavaliers odds, prediction, time: 2026 NBA playoff picks, Game 1 best bets from proven model

SportsLine's model reveals its Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons Game 1 picks

By Adam Thompson

May 5, 2026 at 7:46 am ET • 2 min read

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It didn't come easy, but the Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, and Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers, made it on to the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, surviving Game 7s to move on. Now they face off in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Playoffs series on Tuesday. These teams faced off four times during the regular season, with each going 1-1 on their home court.

Tipoff from Little Caesars Arena is Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Detroit is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Cavaliers vs. Pistons odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 215.5. Before making any Pistons vs. picks,  check out the Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model .

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in  betting  profit for $100 players on its top-rated  NBA picks  over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its  NBA betting  advice at  sportsbooks  and on  betting apps  could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Cavaliers vs. Pistons 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks . Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Pistons vs. Cavaliers:

Cavaliers vs. Pistons spread:

Pistons -3.5 at FanDuel

Cavaliers vs. Pistons over/under:

215.5 points

Cavaliers vs. Pistons money line:

Pistons -147, Cavaliers +120

Cavaliers vs. Pistons picks:

See picks at SportsLine

Cavaliers vs. Pistons streaming:

Fubo  (Try for free)

Top Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Cavaliers vs. Pistons, SportsLine's model is  going Under on the total (215.5).  The Under hit in three out of four meetings between these teams in the regular season. Detroit also trended to the Under all season with 54% of its games hitting that side.

The teams are projected to combine for 214 total points as the Under hits in 52% of simulations, making it a great selection for anybody targeting NBA parlay betting . See the Cavaliers vs. Pistons spread pick at SportsLine , and you can bet the Under in Pistons vs. Cavaliers at FanDuel here:

How to make Cavaliers vs. Pistons picks

After simulating each possession of Cavaliers vs. Pistons 10,000 times, the model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time.  You can head to SportsLine to see the model's NBA picks .

So who wins Pistons vs. Cavaliers, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks , and find out.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/pistons-cavaliers-odds-spread-prediction-time-2026-nba-playoff-picks-game-1-best-bets/)._