NBA Preview: Denver Nuggets (24-24) vs. Detroit Pistons (20-29)
By Andrew Dill
November 6, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets Ty Lawson (3) drives to the basket during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 109-97. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Nuggets-Pistons Preview
The Denver Nuggets (24-24) suffered a disappointing loss to the New York Knicks Friday night by the final of 117-90. The Nuggets had no answer for former Nugget Carmelo Anthony who took it to his former team. Melo would score 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including 4-for-9 from behind-the-arc. Ty Lawson scored a team-high 24 points for Denver in defeat on 9-of-17 shooting, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the line. Denver looks to get back into the win column as they face the Detroit Pistons on a back-to-back.
What: vs.
When: Saturday, February 8th
Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills
Time: 7:30 PM ET, 5:30 PM MT
TV: NBA TV
This is the first of two meetings between the two clubs this season. The last time these two hooked up last season, Denver came away with the win in Detroit on Dec. 11th by the final score of 101-94. Ty Lawson scored a game-high 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting while adding 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals. Rodney Stuckey came off of the bench providing a spark for the Pistons by scoring 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting, collecting 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
Kenneth Faried may be coming off one of his worst performances of the season both offensively, defensively, and mentally. The power forward recorded a plus/minus rating of -28; which was the worst out of all the players that stepped on the court last night. He and the Denver Nuggets will look to bounce back against a struggling Pistons team. This is what Faried had to say about the loss to New York.
"“I think (toward) the end of the second quarter, when it was 44-44, we got five turnovers in a row and couldn’t get a shot up. That kind of pushed their lead,” said Kenneth Faried, who had a team-worst five giveaways. “They got the lead and after that I guess it was curtains.”"
Projected Starting Line-Ups:
Denver Nuggets (24-24):
PG: Ty Lawson
SG: Randy Foye
SF: Wilson Chandler
PF: Kenneth Faried
C: J.J. Hickson
Detroit Pistons (20-29):
PG: Brandon Jennings
SG: Kyle Singler
SF: Josh Smith
PF: Greg Monroe
C: Andre Drummond