Pistons at Hornets
As the injuries continue to mount, Charlotte hopes to head into the All-Star break on a good note when it hosts Detroit on Tuesday. The Hornets dropped their second straight with a 103-102 setback against Indiana on Sunday without starting forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is expected out until after the All-Star break with a hamstring injury. Kidd-Gilchrist joins leading scorer Kemba Walker (knee) and reserve big man Bismack Biyombo (knee) among the list of key players on the sidelines.
Charlotte and Detroit, which are separated by 2 1/2 games in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings, will play four times in the next two months in a series of games that may go a long way toward determining spots at the back end of the playoff race. For the Pistons to be among the eight teams that get in, they cannot afford losses like the one they sustained Sunday at home, falling 112-101 to an 11-win Minnesota team. After the visit to Charlotte, Detroit begins a five-game homestand that straddles the break.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, SportSouth (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (20-32): Although the Timberwolves are playing better since their injured starters have returned, Detroit cannot be pleased with a home loss in which it allowed Minnesota to shoot 51.3 percent, and head coach Stan Van Gundy made sure his message was delivered loud and clear. "They've gotten some guys back, but if you couldn't score that many points against our defense tonight, you aren't an NBA team." One of the few bright spots was Andre Drummond, who scored 17 points on 8-of-8 shooting, but he also tied a season high with five turnovers despite fouling out after only 29 minutes.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (22-29): Point guard Brian Roberts was questionable for the Pacers game with a shoulder issue but ended up playing 40 minutes for just the second time this season. Roberts cannot match Walker's presence, but he has filled in rather well as a starter and his 19 points against Indiana represented his best total in over two months. More importantly, the third-year pro averages only 1.1 turnovers in 33.9 minutes as a starter, amassing just four in 206 minutes over his last six starts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hornets C Al Jefferson averaged 28.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in a three-game season series sweep of the Pistons last season.
2. Drummond owns five straight double-doubles, tied for his longest such streak this season.
3. Charlotte SF Gerald Henderson, who is averaging 11.1 points on the season, has posted an 18.5 average in four games this month.