While the Detroit Pistons appear to be wasting a stockpile of talent, the Phoenix Suns continue to make the most of theirs. The Suns have continued what they started as last season's surprise team in the NBA, and they aim for a second straight victory when they travel to Detroit to face the struggling Pistons on Wednesday. The Suns have split the first two contests on their six-game road trip after holding on for a 118-114 win at Boston on Monday, while Detroit has lost two straight and five of its last six.
Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek wants his team to embrace the underdog role, which propelled the Suns to 48 wins a year ago - their most since 2009-10. "We got to where we were by scratching and clawing and playing with a little bit of a chip on our shoulders," Hornacek told reporters. "We've got to get it back. We can't go into games just thinking we're going to win." The Pistons can't feel too confident about any matchup at the moment after being thumped 107-93 by visiting Orlando on Monday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE SUNS (6-5): Phoenix knows what it has in the backcourt, where guards Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic are tied for the team lead with an average of 15.6 points and point guard Eric Bledsoe chips in 13.5 points and 5.5 assists. The post production has been less consistent, but Markieff Morris (15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds) is coming off a career-high 30 points against the Celtics and twin brother Marcus Morris (10.7 points) also averages double-digit scoring. Second-year center Alex Len (6.5 points, 5.3 rebounds) had a big game against Boston but will have his work cut out against Detroit's frontcourt.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (3-8): The fact that Detroit ranks 29th in the league in field goal percentage at 41.6 percent is inexplicable considering the team's potentially dominant front line of Greg Monroe (15.6 points, 10.3 rebounds), Andre Drummond (8.7 points, 11.1 rebounds) and Josh Smith (13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds). The offensive inefficiency coupled with the team's 67.1 percent clip from the foul line has spelled trouble despite decent defensive numbers. Point guard Brandon Jennings (16.4 points, six assists) is putting up solid numbers, but the Pistons need backcourt mate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to find his shot after hitting just 35.8 percent from the field thus far.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Suns have won eight of the last 11 meetings but the teams have split the series each of the past two seasons with the home team winning all four contests over that span.
2. Phoenix has won 22 consecutive games when shooting 50 percent or better.
3. The Pistons are 0-4 when Monroe, Smith and Drummond all play and combine for fewer than 35 points.