Pistons at Nuggets
The Detroit Pistons have yet to win on the road this season and look to end that dismal fact when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Detroit dropped to 0-5 away from home with Saturday's 96-86 loss to the San Antonio Spurs and is trying to salvage the finale of a four-game excursion.
The Pistons have scored fewer than 90 points in two of the first three games of the trip and scored just 34 points in the second half against the Spurs, but coach Stan Van Gundy found reasons to be encouraged. "In terms of defense and ball movement this was one of our best games of the year and I'm not one to look for positives when they are not there," Van Gundy said afterward. "We played the game pretty well tonight — we just could not make shots." The Nuggets are playing just their third home game — they lost the previous two — and are looking to bounce back from a 125-101 loss to the Golden State Warriors that greatly disappointed coach Michael Malone. "Turnovers continue to be an issue," Malone said. "We had 19 turnovers for 33 points. I was disappointed with how we came out to start the game."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FSN Detroit, Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (4-5): Andre Drummond matched his season best of 20 points and also had 17 rebounds while playing well against the Spurs. The All-Star center is averaging 15 points and 14.6 rebounds and has two 20-point outings and three 20-rebound efforts through the first nine games. Forward Tobias Harris has yet to get untracked on the road trip and is averaging 10.5 points on just 16-of-49 shooting over the past four games.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (3-5): Rookie guard Jamal Murray is getting comfortable and has posted consecutive double-digit outputs, including a season-best 14 in the loss to the Warriors. Murray, who is averaging 5.5 points, is shooting just 29.1 percent from the field as he attempts to dig out of a hole that saw him miss all 16 of his shots over the first four games. Denver is hoping the sharpshooter who starred at Kentucky last season will develop into one of the league's top 3-point shooters.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Drummond had 19 points and 20 rebounds as the Pistons rolled to a 103-86 home win over the Nuggets on Nov. 5.
2. Detroit F Markieff Morris had just four points on 2-of-11 shooting against the Spurs for his first single-digit outing of the season.
3. Denver F Wilson Chandler (hamstring) could return after a two-game absence.