SACRAMENTO KINGS ?6.5 - Detroit has now won 5 consecutive games since an opening night loss to Indiana, but I feel that this is a very difficult assignment for them on the road vs. an angry Sacramento team. The Kings will be breathing fire returning home from a 1-3 road trip, losing the last 2 games at New York and at Boston. Even without the extra incentive to get back on track, Sacramento has feasted on the Eastern Conference here at home. In fact, the Kings are an incredible 43-4 S/U at home vs. the East since the 2000-2001 season, winning those contests by an average of 12.2 points! They have already hosted 2 Eastern teams this season, and covered both games in double-digit wins over Cleveland and Philadelphia. Granted, the Pistons have been one of the better road teams in the NBA the last 2 seasons, going 55-38-3, 59.1% ATS and a respectable 48-48, 50.0% S/U on the road since the 2001-2002 season. However, they have not enjoyed the same success vs. the better Western Conference teams, going 14-13-1 ATS and 9-19 S/U in their non-conference affairs over this same span. As if that is not bad enough, Ben Wallace has been hobbled by a sore ankle, although he is expected to start tonight.
