Pistons at Clippers
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Clippers should think about asking the Los Angeles Lakers for a tutorial on how to hold serve at the Staples Center. The Clippers needed a late rally to defeat the woefully undermanned Houston Rockets on Saturday, giving them a chance to salvage their six-game homestand with a .500 record when the Detroit Pistons visit on Sunday. Detroit has won four of six and is coming off back-to-back 100-point games for the first time this season.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSD, FSSD
ABOUT THE PISTONS (16-28): Although Detroit ranks 28th in the league in scoring, its offense has picked up noticeably in the past month. The Pistons have cracked 100 points seven times in their last 17 games after reaching the century mark only once in the first 27. During the eight-game streak in which Detroit has gone 5-3, Rodney Stuckey is averaging 25.1 points. Guard Brandon Knight seems to be regaining his long-range touch, burying four 3-pointers in Friday’s loss at Phoenix.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (25-18): After scoring only two points and sleepwalking through the first half, Chris Paul came alive to rescue Los Angeles on Saturday. Paul scored 12 points in the final 2:42, including 10 straight to help the Clippers erase a six-point deficit. Paul tied a season high with five steals and finished with 23 points, matching his output in the opener of the five-game homestand. In his previous three games, he had scored a total of 39 points.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Nick Young, acquired from Washington at the trade deadline, could suit up Sunday but is expected to make his Clippers debut Tuesday.
2. Knight leads NBA rookies with 67 3-pointers. He needs three more to pass Lindsay Hunter for the team rookie record.