The New Jersey Nets will look to equal their win total from all of last season Friday night when the Detroit Pistons visit the Prudential Center in Newark. If they can pick up victory No. 12, it will be against the team they almost completed one of the biggest trades in NBA history with before Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov pulled the plug on the Carmelo Anthony negotiations.
The Nets are in the midst of a five-game homestand in which they opened in impressive fashion Wednesday night with a 103-95 victory over the Utah Jazz. Brook Lopez led New Jersey with 20 points while Sasha Vujacic added 15 points off the bench and Devin Harris contributed 14 with six assists. The win snapped a six-game losing streak and was just their second win in 13 games.
Anthony Morrow is expected back for the Nets in limited minutes after missing nearly six weeks with a hamstring injury.
After winning three in a row, the Pistons lost to the Boston Celtics 86-82 on Wednesday. Rodney Stuckey paced the Pistons with 15 points while Tayshaun Prince and rookie Greg Monroe each added 14 for a Detroit team that has struggled on the road (4-18).
Due to his name being involved in the Anthony trade talk, guard Rip Hamilton has sat out the past five games. With the trade shelved (at least for now) there doesn't seem any reason for the Pistons to continue to hold out Hamilton, though there's no telling just how many minutes he will be given.
The opened the season with a win over the Pistons October 27 at the Prudential Center, though Detroit has won 13 of the last 19 games against New Jersey.
Next up for the Nets are the Dallas Mavericks Saturday night as they continue their homestand.