The New Jersey Nets lost their 12th straight game on the road Friday, falling to the Detroit Pistons 92-82 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in a game they never led. The Nets have now lost their eight last games in Detroit while the Pistons snapped a four game losing streak.
Anthony Morrow led the way for the Nets in defeat as he returned to the starting lineup for the first time since missing time with a hamstring injury. Brook Lopez was the only other player for New Jersey to score in double figures with 16.
Even though he led the team in scoring, Morrow didn't get his first points until 7:54 left in the second quarter, something that coach Avery Johnson knows isn't going to get the job done.
"We got to get him going a little bit more earlier in the game. He got it going as the game went on."
Tayshaun Prince paced the Pistons with 22 points while rookie Greg Monroe scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
After the Nets took the first two of the season series from Detroit, Johnson could tell the Pistons simply wanted this one more than his team.
"They had more energy. We beat them twice this year and they had that look in their eye like they definitely wanted to get this series to two to one."
New Jersey will have a chance to find their energy back in Newark for a Super Sunday matinee at The Rock against the Indiana Pacers.