Pistons at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers can't seem to decide if they want to earn the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Detroit Pistons, who visit the Pacers on Monday, are still trying to lock up their spot in the postseason and will look to take advantage of struggling Indiana.
The Pacers dropped seven of their last eight games to fall into fifth place in the East, but all the damage had occurred on the road until Saturday, when they dropped a 121-116 decision at home to the Orlando Magic. "It's unacceptable," Indiana point guard Darren Collison told reporters. "We can't lose a game like that, especially at home. Especially when everything is going our way most of the game. It's a tough loss for us but it was inexcusable on our part." The Pistons, who host the Pacers on Wednesday in the back half of the home-and-home set, sit in sixth place in the East but are only 1 1/2 games clear of ninth-place Orlando heading into play on Sunday. Detroit knocked off Portland 99-90 on Saturday despite All-Star forward Blake Griffin sitting out to rest a sore knee.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Indiana
ABOUT THE PISTONS (39-37): Detroit was held to 11 points in the first quarter and 31 in the first half before getting things together at both ends in the second half on Saturday. "It's tough," point guard Reggie Jackson told reporters. "Lose our All-Star, superstar player. I just commend everybody for coming out and still competing hard, especially after the way we started. It was a rough start." Jackson led the way with 28 points and center Andre Drummond collected 22 points and 19 rebounds in the absence of Griffin, who is day-to-day.
ABOUT THE PACERS (45-32): Indiana's players and coaches bemoaned a defensive effort that allowed 65 second-half points on Saturday but also stressed the need to keep pressing forward. "We just have to stay together," swingman Bojan Bogdanovic told reporters. "Even with those two games we lost (at Boston on Friday and home against Orlando), we're still in a fight for fourth place and homecourt advantage in the playoffs. We have to stick together. We know how good we are and can be when we play our basketball and our defense." The Pacers are tied with Boston for the No. 4 spot but the Celtics, who visit Indiana on Friday, own the tiebreaker after taking two of the first three meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Collison scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-15 Saturday after totaling 20 points on 8-of-21 in the previous two contests.
2. Pistons PG Ish Smith went 0-of-6 from the floor on Saturday and shot 50 percent or better in two of his last 13 games.
3. The home team won each of the first two meetings, with Indiana running Detroit off its floor in a 125-88 thrashing on Dec. 28.