Pistons at Suns
The Detroit Pistons opened a four-game road trip with a putrid performance and attempt to bounce back when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. The Pistons dug themselves a 30-point halftime deficit Monday while being demolished 114-82 by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy was greatly disturbed by the poor performance and second-year forward Stanley Johnson was deeply annoyed. "You got to take this game and put it in the back of your mind and every time you come on the court," Johnson said afterward. "If you're going to bring that type of effort and that type of toughness to the court, it's going to happen to us as a team. For me, this is a game I'll always keep in my mind until at least we fix it. This is straight-out embarrassing." Phoenix is receiving stellar play from shooting guard Devin Booker, who is averaging 33.3 points over the past three games. Booker scored 23 points Tuesday but his long 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark as the Suns suffered a 124-121 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (4-3): Van Gundy's postgame comments included this: "Nothing positive came out of this game. It's like starting at ground zero again. They dismantled us." Detroit trailed 33-15 after the first quarter and tallied just 17 in the second in an effort that also disappointed center Andre Drummond. "This game will bother me for a couple of days," Drummond said. "You need to learn from a game like this and don't brush it off. You don't forget the embarrassment and you don't want to feel like that again."
ABOUT THE SUNS (2-6): Point guard Eric Bledsoe has displayed early on that he is fully recovered from the knee injury that cut his campaign short after 31 games last season. He made 9-of-13 field-goal attempts against the Trail Blazers and has scored in double digits in all eight games while averaging 19.1 points. Bledsoe's return has sent guard Brandon Knight to a reserve role and he scored 11 points against the Trail Blazers after having just two points on 1-of-8 shooting two nights earlier against the Los Angeles Lakers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pistons have won the past three meetings and five of the last seven.
2. Phoenix C Tyson Chandler (personal problems) missed the Portland game and his status is unknown for Wednesday.
3. The Detroit starting backcourt of PG Ish Smith and SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for three points on 1-of-15 shooting against the Clippers.