GAMENIGHT

Brooklyn Nets (28-20) @ Detroit Pistons (18-31)

Palace Of Auburn Hills 7:30

TV: YES – RADIO: WFAN 660 AM/101.9 FM

The Brooklyn Nets lost a heartbreaker last night to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 93-82 in a game that was there for the taking, but they gave it away when they couldn’t score in the final two minutes.  Kobe Bryant took control of the game late and took home his first win in Brooklyn while Brook Lopez scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the loss.  The Nets had to settle for a split of the  four-game home-stand and their offense has sputtered and they have reached 100 points just one time in their last 10 games.

[quote_box] Lopez – I just feel like those last 2 1/2 minutes were as bad as I’ve played on the court on both ends all season,” said Lopez, who went 0-for-2 from the field and had two defensive miscues — failing to properly defend a pair of pick-and-rolls — during that stretch.[/quote_box]

The Nets shot a season-low 34.8 percent against the Lakers and will have to shoot better to beat a Pistons team that has just made a trade to bring in a new point guard in Jose Calderon.  Detroit shipped out longtime Piston Tyshaun Prince and Austin Daye to create salary cap space and get their point guard.  The Pistons have lost their last two games and four out of their last five while the Nets have gone 5-5 in their last ten games.

The last time the Nets played the Pistons it took double-overtime when Joe Johnson hit a jumper over Prince as time expired to give Brooklyn a 107-105 win.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME: Detroit’s Guards vs Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson has averaged a lowly 13 points on 35 percent shooting in his last six games and it affecting the rest of the team.  Johnson has been a source of offense throughout most of the year and his recent struggles have put more pressure on the bench to score more and that has affected them.  The Pistons guards like Kyle Singler, Corey Maggette, and recently acquired Calderon are not on Johnson’s level so he should be able to put up some points tonight and lead the Nets to a much needed win.

STAT FOR TONIGHT: Detroit has won 42 of 47 at home against the Nets and a win in Detroit would be the first time since March 6, 2006.

Nets:

Tornike Shengelia (concussion symptoms) out indefinitely

Jerry Stackhouse (stiff neck) is OUT

Pistons:

NONE