Pistons at Hornets
With Al Jefferson playing on a bad knee and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out with an ankle injury, the Charlotte Hornets' postseason hopes are dwindling. Losers of seven of their last nine games, the Hornets will try to forge enough energy to make one last effort to close the gap in the Eastern Conference when they close out a three-game homestand against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. The Hornets sit two games back of the Brooklyn Nets and are also looking up at both Boston and Indiana.
In pretty much a must-win game with the Celtics on Monday, Charlotte fell behind by 22 points and yielded its most points in more than two months in a 116-104 loss. "What we have is severe limitations (due to injuries),” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “We have to play with purpose. I wouldn’t say it’s effort; it’s mistakes. It’s the mental part of the game." The streaking Pistons have won of their last six games and are coming off a 105-95 win over Atlanta on Tuesday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, SportSouth (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (29-45): Andre Drummond had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Anthony Tolliver added 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Hawks. Reggie Jackson recorded 12 points and 11 assists despite playing through an illness. He averaged 28.3 points and 9.3 assists in his previous three games. Greg Monroe has topped 20 points and 10 rebounds in a split of the first two games against Charlotte this season, but he has missed the last eight games with a right knee injury.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (31-42): Kemba Walker had 28 points and 12 assists and Gerald Henderson collected 17 points against the Celtics. Lance Stephenson, expected to be a major contributor after signing a three-year contract in the offseason did not play after contributing just 34 minutes in the previous three games. "I explained to him that I'm not saying it's his fault at all but we have struggled to find a group that has played well off the bench in these last few games," Clifford said.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Tolliver is averaging 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in eight starts in place of Monroe.
2. The Hornets are 4-14 when Kidd-Gilchrist (10.9 points, 7.6 rebounds) does not play.
3. Walker is averaging 15.3 points on 34.2 percent shooting and 5.5 assists in 11 games since returning from an ankle injury.