The Oklahoma City Thunder return home Friday after a brief two-game road trip seeking to continue a long winning streak against the Detroit Pistons. The Thunder have won 10 straight against the Pistons and have not lost to Detroit at home since the franchise moved from Seattle after the 2007-08 season. However, Oklahoma City won't have Kevin Durant (foot), who scored 79 points in the two wins last season, Russell Westbrook and a host of other supporting characters this time.
The Pistons, playing in the third game of a four-game road trip, enter on a three-game losing streak after a 107-103 loss to Washington on Wednesday and seem headed for a fifth consecutive losing season. Detroit has dropped seven straight road games - all in Oklahoma City - against this franchise since Rip Hamilton scored 32 in a 107–103 win over Seattle in Nov. 11, 2007. Greg Monroe averaged 21 points, 11.5 rebounds and six assists in the two contests last season and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 30 against the Thunder in the final game of the season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), FSN Detroit Plus
ABOUT THE PISTONS (2-6): The Pistons blew a nine-point fourth-quarter lead to visiting Utah on Sunday, fell behind by 16 early in a 102-91 loss to Chicago on Monday before squandering an early 13-point lead against the Wizards in the second of a four-game road trip. "It's not because guys don't give a (expletive)," first-year coach Stan Van Gundy explained. "They all want to win, but it's a lack of trust things are going to work. It's changing that mentality to the point that you believe that if we stay with what we're doing and execute what we're supposed to do that more times than not it will work out." Guard Brandon Jennings scored 16 of his 32 points in the first quarter as the Pistons reached the century mark for the first time this season. Detroit ranks last in the NBA in field-goal percentage (41.7) and next to last in free-throw percentage (67.3) but sixth in turnovers (12.8) and offensive rebounding (12.1).
ABOUT THE THUNDER (3-6): Since starting the season 1-5, Oklahoma City has won two of three after a 109-104 win at Boston on Wednesday. Swingman Anthony Morrow (knee) returned and scored 28 points in 31 minutes off the bench, draining 4-of-5 shots from the arc. Point guard Reggie Jackson continued his stellar play with 28 points - one off his career high set Tuesday against Milwaukee - and eight assists. "I'm just trying to figure out how to play this role," Jackson said. "But I'm having fun with it, making the most of my opportunity until we get fully healthy."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Jackson is averaging 25.3 points and 6.5 assists in his last four games.
2. Pistons C Andre Drummond has scored two combined points in the last two games after scoring in double figures in five of the first six.
3. In addition to Durant and Westbrook, Fs Perry Jones (knee), Grant Jerrett (ankle) and Mitch McGary (foot), and G Andre Roberson (foot) are all out with injuries for the Thunder.