Pistons at Heat
THE STORY: The Miami Heat are no longer invincible at home. Just when it looked like the Heat had flipped the switch and were set to show off their championship form in the run up to the playoffs, they were crushed by a tired Memphis Grizzlies team to snap a 17-game home winning streak. The Detroit Pistons are running through the Southeast Division gauntlet and got off to a rough start at Atlanta.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSD (Detroit), SUN (Miami)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (21-34): Detroit had been on a bit of a roll, winning three straight and five of six before stumbling at the start of their road trip 101-96 at Atlanta on Friday. Those victories came over the bottom of the East, however, with the Pistons taking out the Washington Wizards (twice), the Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats. A 102-95 triumph over the crumbling Orlando Magic last Tuesday represents Detroit’s only victory over a team with a winning record in the last month. The Pistons gave the Heat a scare in Detroit on Jan. 25, leading with just over a minute left before crumbling down the stretch in a 101-98 setback.
ABOUT THE HEAT (39-15): After big home wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami came out flat on Friday and was routed 97-82 by the Memphis Grizzlies. That marked the end of the 17-game winning streak and was just the third home loss of the season for the Heat. They committed 11 turnovers in the first quarter alone and never led. That was a swift departure from the level of play they had demonstrated the previous two games. LeBron James, who carried the team in the two wins, had a streak of five straight games shooting 50 percent or better come to an end with an 8-for-19 effort.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Miami has taken six straight in the series, including an 88-73 win on March 23.
2. Heat F Mike Miller (ankle) is working out and could return Sunday.
3. Detroit’s bench scored a season-high 57 points on Friday.