The Detroit Pistons hope to start another winning streak when they host the struggling Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Pistons had their improbable seven-game winning streak snapped with a 106-103 loss to Atlanta on Friday, but the Nets limp into town after suffering their fourth straight loss with a 90-88 setback to lowly Philadelphia. Brooklyn has won three straight in the series, though, including the first two meetings this season.
The Nets let a 13-point lead slip away in the second half against the 76ers, scoring only 17 points in the fourth quarter. "This is tough," Nets guard Joe Johnson told reporters. "We're in a bad rut right now and we've got to find some way to get out of it. We had a double-digit lead and it never seems to be safe. It's like we always let a team back in it with our mistakes." The Pistons made a furious comeback from a 23-point deficit before falling short against the Hawks and might not have much left in the tank as they play their sixth game in nine days.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FSN Detroit Plus
ABOUT THE NETS (16-20): Brooklyn seemed to have turned a corner when it won six of seven over the holidays, but the Nets have slipped back into their losing ways. They're without point guard Deron Williams (broken rib) but should have veteran Kevin Garnett (7.6 points, 7.6 rebounds) back in the lineup after giving him a night off Friday. The Nets do have a solid one-two punch in the paint with centers Mason Plumlee (9.7 points, 6.9 rebounds) and Brook Lopez (15 points, 6.1 rebounds), who has rebounded from a slow start to the season to average 16.9 points over his past seven games.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (12-24): Detroit was much improved at the offensive end during its winning streak, but the Pistons settled for far too many outside shots against Atlanta, putting up a franchise-record 43 attempts from 3-point range. Granted, the triples helped them erase most of the big deficit, but they need to renew their focus on getting the ball inside to Greg Monroe (14.8 points, 9.5 rebounds) and Andre Drummond (12.5 points, 13.1 rebounds) and allow point guard Brandon Jennings (14.1 points, 6.3 assists) to score off the dribble. Drummond wasn't himself against Atlanta, leaving early in the third quarter after battling illness throughout the first half.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Plumlee has recorded double-doubles in back-to-back games and has a team-high eight this season.
2. Detroit has scored 100 or more points in 10 of its last 11 games after doing so only four times in its first 25 contests, two of which came in overtime games.
3. The Nets have won 10 straight games when scoring 95 or more points.