The New Jersey Nets look to win their first game on the road since December 21 Friday night when they take on the struggling Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. While the Nets have played .500 at home, they have only won three games all year on the road. Luckily they are facing a team in the Pistons that they have already defeated twice this season.
Avery Johnson's crew will try to rebound from a disappointing 106-92 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night. Brook Lopez, Devin Harris and Kris Humphries each scored 16 points for the Nets in defeat while Johnson was ejected in the third quarter after tiring of his team's poor effort.
In order to try and help turn things around for New Jersey on the road, Johnson has decided to return Anthony Morrow to the starting lineup. The sharp shooter has been coming off the bench since returning from a hamstring injury on December 21. Morrow will start in place of Stephen Graham.
Jordan Farmar will continue to sit out with a back injury, meaning rookie Ben Uzoh remains Harris' primary backup at the point.
The Detroit Pistons will be playing without Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell with injuries and Richard Hamilton due to ... well, no one is really sure why the veteran is still sitting out, including Rip himself. They have lost four straight, one short of their longest losing streak this season.
After Detroit lost to the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday, Ben Gordon was pretty confident the Pistons would bounce back against the Nets.
"A team like New Jersey is another team that’s an opponent we can definitely beat. We’ve just got to come in, take care of business and not take them lightly."
Harris, for one, sees both sides of the comments by Gordon.
"It's a little bit motivation for us, but they are trying to motivate themselves."
In the first two meetings between these teams, the Nets have outscored the Pistons 95-86 thanks in large part to shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc.
New Jersey have lost their last seven trips to Detroit.
Once they are done in Detroit Rock City, the Nets will return home to take on the Indiana Pacers Sunday night.