The last time the New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons met, the Nets held off a resilient Pistons team eager to break a six-game losing streak. Since that 99-96 Nets win last Wednesday, the two have gone in opposite directions. The Pistons have won consecutive games while the Nets have dropped three straight. The two will renew acquaintances tomorrow at the Prudential Center as they play the first of a home and home set.
Detroit parlayed the momentum gained in the second half of their loss to the Nets into home wins over Milwaukee and New Orleans. Second-year center Greg Monroe continues to lead the way notching seven double-doubles in his last eight games. After playing a stretch of a seven games in nine days, the Pistons have had three days off to prepare for the rematch. The Nets, on the other hand, will have just one day to regroup after a 108-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls Monday night. The Bulls seemed to toy with the host, jumping out to a 35-14 first quarter lead, and shooting 55.6% for the game, including 60% (9-for-15) from three. Perimeter defense continues to haunt the outfit from the Garden State. New Jersey ranks last in the league in opponents three point percentage, allowing teams to connect at a 40% clip.
Anthony Morrow missed Monday’s game to attend the funeral of his grandmother in Charlotte. His scoring and long range shooting were missed as the Nets connected on just 3-of-17 from behind the arc. He is expected to be in the Wednesday lineup. Pistons guard Brandon Knight left Saturday’s game against New Orleans with a broken nose but he is also expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday. Ben Gordon and Will Bynum returned to practice this week, although it's unclear if either will play in tomorrow's game.
The rematch should feature a more confident Pistons team than the one that played a week ago, which is a concern for the Nets and their backers. Detroit outscored the Nets 48-34 in the paint and shot 48.8% (40-82) from the field in the first meeting, but were outrebounded 48-31, more than likely a result of fatigue. A well-rested Pistons team should do a better job of crashing the boards this time around. The home team has won the last seven meetings in the series, but expect that trend to come to a halt on Wednesday. Look for a rejuvenated Pistons team to finish off the Nets in what should be another close contest. Play on the Detroit Pistons (+) the points. Good luck to all.
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