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NBA Betting: Atlanta Hawks Season Long Handicapping 12/12/2025 vs. Detroit Pistons

by Spencer Toth - 12/12/2025

NBA betting Atlanta Hawks season long handicapping vs Detroit Pistons Jalen Duren

All year long, Doc’s Sports will be breaking down every weekday Atlanta Hawks game, while providing best bets along the way. Over the last four years, I have proven that by taking a deep dive into any NBA team, we can generate a consistent profit over the course of the season. The Hawks had nearly a full week off after being bounced from the NBA Cup, which has given them time to heal up and get ready for the next portion of the season. 

Last week on Friday night, the Hawks fell to the Denver Nuggets 134-133. A loss to the mighty Nuggets is nothing to be embarrassed about, but the manner of the defeat was disheartening. Atlanta held a 23-point lead in the first half before being outscored exactly 40-30 in both the third and fourth quarters. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a team-high 30 points, while Jalen Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with a 21/18/16 box score. However, it was no match for Nikola Jokic’s greatness. The three-time MVP scored 40 points with 8 assists and 9 rebounds, leading his team to a tenth straight road win. 

From a betting perspective, the game went down exactly how I expected it to. The Hawks were able to hold on to cover the +6.5 point spread, giving us the first win of the night. Our other two player props were on Jokic, to go over 29.5 points, and under 10.5 assists. We correctly identified that Jokic wouldn’t face resistance in the scoring department and would elect to back down to the hoop rather than play facilitator. This resulted in a perfect 3-0 sweep. 

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The Hawks got back on track on Saturday, taking down the Wizards 131-116. They got some revenge for an embarrassing loss against Washington a few weeks ago, as they were able to dominate on the inside to claim the win. Atlanta held the Wizards to just 26 rebounds, one of the lowest totals in modern-day NBA history. Jalen Johnson posted a 30-point triple double, with Onyeka Okongwu scoring 21 points while hauling in 9 boards. 

Tonight, the well-rested Atlanta Hawks (14-11) head to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Pistons (19-5). The Pistons have been one of the best teams in the league this season, with an impressive 10-2 home record this year. They are 100% healthy for this matchup and haven’t played since Saturday night last week. Detroit has been one of the most consistent teams on both ends of the court this season. They play hard defense, box out well, and generate plenty of steals. They are top five in both steals and rebounds this season, and it is no surprise to see them with the 4th best defensive rating as a result. Jalen Duren does a great job of patrolling the paint, Ausar Thompson has been pesky on defense, and it is clear the entire roster has bought into the playstyle JB Bickerstaff wants from his players. The Pistons' young talent, combined with a fearless playstyle, has allowed them to ascend to the top of the Eastern Conference standings through the first 30% of the regular season.

While their defense has been strong, the real reason the Pistons are where they are has been the impressive play from Cade Cunningham. He probably won’t win MVP this season, but Cunningham is putting up the kind of numbers that get him in the conversation. He has the second most assists in the league with 9.3 per game, he is 11th in PPG at 27.5, and tacks on the 17th most steals at 1.5 just for good measure. Cunningham has not only been able to perform throughout the Pistons' hot streak, but his ability to turn up when it matters most has really set him apart. Detroit is 13-4 in the clutch this season, with Cunningham averaging 5.3 PPG on 53.3% from the floor in those moments. If the Hawks want any chance in this matchup, forcing the ball out of Cunningham’s hands is a non-negotiable. 

Atlanta had a week off to heal up, but they are still far from 100% healthy for tonight’s matchup. Kristaps Porzingis is still out with a mysterious illness, while Trae Young is still a couple of weeks away from returning. The Hawks have managed to stay afloat without Young, going 12-8 in the 20 games and counting he has been sidelined for. Jalen Johnson’s incredible play is a contributing factor, while Alexander-Walker’s stunning career turnaround has allowed the Hawks to really thrive. When Young and Porzingis both return to the lineup, the Hawks will be a real threat in a wide-open Eastern Conference. 

None of that matters tonight. The Hawks have to make the most of their available players, and they will be hard-pressed to leave Detroit with a win. Atlanta’s depth has been tested, and they will be again in this matchup. Detroit edged out a 99-98 victory over the Hawks when these two met 11 days ago, but the reality is that this will be a much more one-sided affair. Detroit completely dominated the Hawks on the glass, securing a 60-34 advantage in rebounds. The only reason this wasn’t a blowout is that the Pistons shot 5/26 from three-point range, but lightning is unlikely to strike twice tonight. For the first bet of the night, we will lay the points with the Pistons on the -7 point spread. Detroit is the healthier, hotter team that will be playing at home, and it is difficult to imagine the Hawks keeping pace. Losing two starters is something Atlanta has struggled with, and they simply don’t have the shooting off the bench to break down the Pistons. Detroit is a well-balanced team on both ends of the court, and even though they rarely win big, they will be able to win and cover against the Hawks. 

For the second bet of the night, we will be targeting the matchup of Cade Cunningham vs Dyson Daniels. We took Daniels to log 3+ steals (+115) and 4+ steals (+275) the last time these two met, as he has been able to consistently rack up defensive numbers whenever he plays Cunningham. Daniels was draped over Cunningham in a full-court press in that matchup, and there is no reason to expect anything else tonight. Even better, we are now getting +140 odds on Daniels to log 3+ steals, making it the best bet of the evening. 

Pick: Detroit Pistons (-7) 2 Units

Pick: Dyson Daniels 3+ Steals +140 4 Units

2025-26 Season Record:
Moneyline: 5-3

Spread: 11-10

Total: 0-6

Player Props: 16-6

Overall: 32-25

Total Units: Up 18.4 Units

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