After a five-game road trip that included a West-Coast swing, RJ Barrett and the Raptors return to Scotiabank Arena on Friday, where they will face Cade Cunningham and the Pistons (7:00 p.m. ET, TSN). It marks both teams’ second game in the group stage of the 2024 NBA Cup. 

The Sporting News has you covered with the NBA odds for this Eastern Conference showdown, as well as some best bets and top props from the BetMGM online sportsbook.

The Raptors have started the season just 2-10, but they covered seven of their first nine spreads. Things have unraveled a bit as of late, though — Toronto has lost five straight games, and fallen by 14 points or more in three of its past four. Still, the Raps find themselves the betting favorite on Friday, the first time all season they have not been listed as underdogs.

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The Pistons won’t be pushovers, though. This team has a lot more spunk with J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach. Detroit has started the season 5-8, but a handful of its losses have been very close games.

Cunningham and company even covered the spread against the high-flying defending champion Celtics, and most recently took Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to OT.

Here are the best bets and top props for the Raptors vs. Pistons NBA Cup game on Friday. 

Raptors vs. Pistons odds, pick against spread

All odds and props are from BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.

• ATS: Raptors -2.5 (-110) | Pistons +2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Raptors -145 | Pistons +120
• Over/under: O 229.5 (-105) | U 229.5 (-115)

Darko Rajaković’s squad has gone 8-4 against the spread (66.7% cover rate), but just 2-10 straight up. Toronto has failed to cover three of its past four games. Prior to that stretch, the Raps had covered seven straight spreads.

Raptors vs. Pistons best bets and final score prediction

The sportsbooks might have set bettors up for a bit of a trap — a Raps trap, if you will. By listing Toronto as the favorite, the books will most likely lure casual bettors into wagering on the home squad. But, it’s important to note that Toronto is still without franchise player Scottie Barnes, point guard Immanuel Quickley, and glue guys Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk. 

It’s also important to note that Detroit has been playing very good basketball over the past couple of weeks. The Pistons have gone 7-4 ATS dating back to Oct. 26, and they’ve won five of their past nine games. They have some big wins mixed in there, including a 10-point win over the 76ers, a 13-point W over the Lakers, and a couple of close victories over the Heat and Hawks. 

Bickerstaff has unlocked Cunningham like a cheat code. The former No. 1 pick has been shooting well from outside the arc, and he’s also playmaking for others better than ever before. Detroit has also benefited from center Jalen Duren taking another step forward, and veteran newcomers Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley fitting like a glove in Bickerstaff’s system. 

This should be an entertaining game, but the Raptors by three doesn’t feel like a good bet. Detroit has only lost by three points or more once since Nov. 2, and that was to the Bucks on Wednesday in a game the Pistons really should have won (rookie Ron Holland missed both free throws in a tie game with one second left, with Milwaukee out of timeouts). Giannis needed a near-historic 59 and overtime to get past Detroit on the Bucks’ home floor. Don’t play with this Pistons squad.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Pistons 121, Raptors 118 — The Pistons win straight up and the game goes well OVER the projected total of 229.5. 

Raptors vs. Pistons top player prop bet

Cade Cunningham to record a double-double (-135)

Don’t mind the juice — this feels like a lock. Cunningham has recorded a double-double in four of the Pistons’ past six games, and he has even put up a triple-dub three times during that span.

The former top overall pick has been cooking as of late, leading many to place him center square in the Most Improved Player race. We don’t know about all that — he is a former No. 1 pick, after all, so it feels odd to reward someone for finally living up to his lofty expectations.

What we do know is that nobody on this Toronto team can defend Cunningham. Ride with the MotorCade in this Friday night Cup game.