Pistons and Nets kick off home-and-home set in Jersey
Basketball Betting Lines
02/08/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Only one of Detroit's six wins this season has come on the road and the Pistons would like to change that as early as tonight, when they pay a visit to the New Jersey Nets in the opener of a home-and-home set.
The Pistons and Nets will then meet at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday.
Detroit is just 1-12 away from home this season and is winless in its previous seven games as the guest. It hasn't tasted victory on the road since a 98-81 triumph at Charlotte on Jan. 13, but will try to extend its current winning streak to a season-high three games in the Garden State. In Saturday's 89-87 win versus New Orleans at The Palace, Greg Monroe led the way with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and is averaging 18.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last eight games. Monroe is second in the NBA in offensive rebounds (101) and ranks ninth in the NBA in double-doubles with 13 this season.
"It's more or less effort; that's basically it," Monroe said about his performance. "That's what everybody preaches, effort and position. That's something I take pride in, so what you see on the court is just me working hard, trying to do my job."
Rodney Stuckey posted 17 points for Detroit, which has won two in a row since a seven-game slide and last won three straight from April 6-10, 2011. The Pistons are only 4-14 versus the East this season and will begin a three-game homestand versus the Nets, Wizards and Spurs at the end of the week. Detroit rookie Brandon Knight left the game with a broken nose after taking an elbow to the nose halfway through the first quarter. He is probable for tonight.
Ben Gordon and Will Bynum are still nursing injuries and their status for Wednesday's game is unknown. Gordon has been sidelined the last 10 games with a sore left shoulder and Bynum has missed 14 in a row with a strained right foot tendon.
The Nets have dropped three in a row and five of their last six games, including Monday's 108-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls lost reigning MVP Derrick Rose in the second quarter to lower back spasms and New Jersey still couldn't take advantage.
Deron Williams ended with 25 points and five assists for the Nets, who fell to 3-8 as the host this season and are in the midst of playing six of eight games in Newark, NJ. Sundiata Gaines and Jordan Farmar scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, in a losing effort. Kris Humphries added 10 points and nine boards, and is averaging 13.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
After the Nets visit Detroit on Friday they will head back home for back-to- back games versus the Spurs and Grizzlies. New Jersey is 6-13 against teams from the Eastern Conference and 8-18 overall this season.
New Jersey won the first meeting with Detroit, 99-96, last Wednesday behind 26 points and nine assists from Williams. Humphries added 18 points and eight rebounds, while the Pistons were led by 21 points from both Monroe and Tayshaun Prince. The Nets have won four of the last six matchups with Detroit.
The Pistons are winless in four straight trips to the Garden State.
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Teams that should be in: Stanford
Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.
Should be in:
Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.
| Southeastern Conference odds | |
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.
Work left to do: Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney. Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson. Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable. Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile. |
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