Warriors at Pistons
THE STORY: The Detroit Pistons snapped a six-game losing streak with a 98-81 win at Charlotte on Friday. The next step is finding a way to score 100. The Pistons are 29th in the NBA in scoring, averaging just 84.9 points in the early going. It’s not like they have made up the difference on the other end either, surrendering 94.3. Detroit is stuck between two eras, with players like Brandon Knight, Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko ready to start a rebuilding effort and Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva trying to win now. The Golden State Warriors, who visit the Pistons on Sunday, have a clearer vision with first-year coach Marc Jackson and a young team. They just haven’t been able to win very much. The Warriors have dropped seven of eight and are struggling the most on the defensive end, where they have surrendered over 100 in six of those eight.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSBA (Golden State), FSD (Detroit)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (3-8): Golden State kicked off its four-game road trip with a 112-100 loss at Charlotte on Saturday, two days after allowing the Orlando Magic free trips to the line in a 117-109 setback. The Bobcats did not have a player get anywhere near Dwight Howard’s 39 free throw attempts from the previous game, but the Warriors still committed 31 personal fouls, leading to 29 made free throws for Charlotte.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (3-9): Detroit handed most of it over to the younger players to stop its losing streak on Friday. Jerebko, Monroe and Knight combined for 54 points and 28 rebounds in contest. Rebounding had also been an issue for the team before Friday, when Jerebko managed to avoid foul trouble and stick alongside Monroe in the middle.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Detroit has won six of the last eight in the series, including the last four at home.
2. Warriors G Monta Ellis shot 6 of 26 from the floor on Saturday and is just 5 of 26 from 3-point range over the last five games.
3. Jerebko is averaging 16.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in Detroit’s three wins.