Today's top games to watch, best bets, odds: Rockets at Pistons, Ohio State at Michigan, more

Having scored 31,616 career points, Kevin Durant has lit up many teams. But no franchise has been the victim of Durant's scoring prowess more than the Detroit Pistons.

Durant, who recently passed Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki into sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, has averaged 30.5 points per game over his career against the Pistons, which is his highest mark against any opponent. That includes a 37-point effort against Detroit earlier this season for Houston. (Despite his effort, the Pistons won that game 115-111.)

On Friday night, Durant will take aim against Detroit again when he and the Rockets battle the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

The Pistons (32-10) own the best record in the Eastern Conference and a 5.5-game lead over the Celtics. But star point guard Cade Cunningham is questionable for Friday's game because of an illness. (However, he did participate in Friday's shootaround.)

Meanwhile, Houston (26-16) will be playing the second half of a back-to-back. On Thursday in Philadelphia, the Rockets blew a seven-point lead with a little more than three minutes remaining and lost 128-122 in overtime to the 76ers.

Detroit is a 3.5-point favorite against Houston.

While Pistons vs. Rockets is the marquee attraction on Friday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes seven other NBA matchups and a full college basketball schedule. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Friday, Jan. 23. All times Eastern.

NBA best bets, where to watch

Rockets at Pistons

Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Detroit | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Pistons -4.5

Like the Bad Boys of the late 1980s and early '90s, Detroit has been stingy on defense all season -- but without, you know, all that flagrant body slamming. The Pistons rank behind only the Thunder in defensive rating (108.4 points per 100 possessions) for the season. Over the last eight games, Detroit has been even better, giving up just 98.6 points per 100, which leads the league over that time. Led by their defense, the Pistons are 7-1 over that stretch. On Friday, they will face a Houston team that is 1-3 in the second half of back-to-backs this season, losing to the Jazz, Mavericks and Kings. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, says there's a 55.0% chance Detroit covers and assigns a 'C' grade to Pistons -4.5. 

Nuggets at Bucks

Time: 9:30 p.m. | Location: Milwaukee | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Nuggets +8.5 | Expert: Bobby Portis Over 12.5 Total Points -126 (Mike Barner)

After the Bucks were blown out 122-102 by the Thunder on Wednesday to drop to 18-25 on the season, Giannis Antetokounmpo called out his teammates. "We're not playing hard," he said. "We aren't doing the right thing. We're not playing to win. We're not playing together. Our chemistry's not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own. At times, I feel like when we're down 10, down 15, down 20, we try to make it up in one play, and it's not going to work." With that as the backdrop, Milwaukee faces the Nuggets (30-15), who have been scrappy while playing without three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. The SportsLine Projection Model says Denver has a 61.0% chance to cover and gives a strong 'A' grade to Nuggets +8.5. Meanwhile, SportsLine's Mike Barner notes that Portis has scored at least 13 points in 12 straight home games. "He has shot 54.7% from the field and 55.2% from behind the arc in Milwaukee, compared to 44.1% from the field and 38.7% from deep on the road," he says.

College basketball best bets, where to watch

Ohio State at No. 3 Michigan

Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Ann Arbor, Mich. | TV: FOX | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Ohio State +15.5

The Buckeyes will look to earn a signature win when they take on the rival Wolverines at the Crisler Center. The Buckeyes (13-5, 5-3 in Big Ten) are tied for seventh in the conference, but they are 0-for-3 against ranked teams and 1-4 against Quad 1 teams this season with the only victory coming against Northwestern. An upset over the No. 3 Wolverines (17-1, 7-1) would go a long way in strengthening Ohio State's NCAA Tournament résumé. Meanwhile, Michigan has lost only once this season but is just 0-5 against-the-spread in its last five games. The SportsLine Projection Model says the Buckeyes have a 68.0% chance to cover and assigns a B grade to Ohio State +15.5.

Looking ahead

College basketball: No. 22 North Carolina at No. 14 Virginia

Time: Noon Saturday | Location: Charlottesville, Va. | TV: ESPN2 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Virginia -6.5

Originally scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, the game has been moved to a noon ET tip-off because of the winter storm forecasted to hit much of the country. The Virginia Cavaliers (16-2, 5-1 in ACC) no longer are playing boring, bruising, bully ball. After years of being offensively challenged, they rank 17th in the country in offensive efficiency (124.6 points per 100 possessions). Yet they remain a top defensive club (17th also in defensive efficiency, at 97.5). On Saturday, they will take on a North Carolina team that is 1-3 on the road this season and has lost its last three road starts. The SportsLine Projection Model says Virginia has a 65.0% chance to cover and gives a 'B' grade to Cavaliers -6.5.

No. 6 Houston at No. 12 Texas Tech

Time: 2 p.m. Saturday | Location: Lubbock, Texas | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Texas Tech +116

Two Big 12 teams with Final Four aspirations collide when the Houston Cougars battle the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. The Cougars (17-1, 5-0 in Big 12) sit in second in the conference, behind only No. 1 Arizona. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders (15-4, 5-1) are a half game behind, in third place. Saturday's game will be the second meeting between the teams in 19 days. On Jan. 6, in a game in which neither team led by more than seven points, Houston outexecuted Texas Tech down the stretch to earn a 69-65 victory. But this time the Red Raiders will be at home, where they are 10-0 this season. The SportsLine Projection Model says Texas Tech has a 45.0% chance to win and assigns a 'B 'grade to the Red Raiders money line (+116).