Pistons-Bobcats Preview

By MATT BECKER
Posted Jan 13 2012 12:38AM

The inability to get stops has been the Charlotte Bobcats' biggest weakness this season.

The Detroit Pistons' woes stem from an inept offense.

In a meeting of two of the league's worst teams, the Bobcats and Pistons each seem to have a decent chance of fixing their primary problems Friday night in Charlotte.

The Bobcats (2-9) opened a back-to-back-to-back stretch Thursday with a 111-81 loss to Atlanta, their fifth straight defeat. The Hawks were playing without All-Star center Al Horford, but that didn't seem to make a difference as Charlotte was outrebounded 55-30 and outscored 52-38 in the paint.

"We're just kind of giving up now," coach Paul Silas said. "We have to learn from our losses. It doesn't seem as if that's happening. We just have to turn things around."

Allowing a league-worst 102.7 points, the Bobcats are seemingly letting opponents do as they please.

Charlotte could have better luck defensively against the Pistons, who are averaging 83.7 points - barely edging Washington's league-worst 83.6. Then again, Detroit could be the team finding its offensive stride against the vulnerable Charlotte defense.

The Pistons (2-9) are also coming off an offensive eruption by their own meager standards. Detroit reached the 90-point mark for just the second time this season Thursday at Milwaukee, but it wasn't enough as it fell 102-93 for its sixth straight loss.

"There are no consolation prizes, but there was a different spirit out there, a different fight out there," said coach Lawrence Frank, whose team dropped to 0-5 on the road.

Greg Monroe led the way Thursday with a career-high 32 points and season-best 16 rebounds. It was an encouraging performance for the second-year center, who is averaging a team-best 16.4 points.

"I just took what they gave me," Monroe said. "I was just able to knock down some open jump shots and get to the rim. I was just reading how they were playing me, trying to make plays and be patient."

Charlotte also received a solid outing from its center Thursday. In his first career start in his 37th game, Byron Mullens led the Bobcats with 21 points - 10.0 better than his season average coming in.

"That loss was too bad for me to keep my head up about how I played," Mullens said.

That was about the only positive for the Bobcats, as the rest of their starters combined for 33 points. D.J. Augustin, Charlotte's leading scorer with 15.4 points per game, was held to eight though he also had eight assists.

The Pistons managed a split of last season's four-game series despite Charlotte shooting better than 50 percent in each meeting.

Jerebko leads Pistons over Bobcats, 98-81

By STEVE REED
Posted Jan 13 2012 10:35PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Detroit Pistons got back in the win column Friday night, while the Charlotte Bobcats got a talking to from owner Michael Jordan.

Jonas Jerebko tied a career high with 22 points and the Pistons won the race to three victories Friday night against the Charlotte Bobcats, 98-81 to snap a six-game losing streak.

Both teams entered the game with identical 2-9 records and on lengthy losing streaks.

The Pistons got strong inside play from Jerebko and Greg Monroe, who chipped in with 19 points and nine rebounds. They dominated inside, scoring 50 points in the paint through the first three quarters to open a 78-59 lead.

This one wasn't even close as the Pistons led by 12 at the break and were never challenged in the second half.

Jerebko, from Sweden, tied his previous career high from back in 2009.

"I was trying to take it to the basket and get a couple of easy ones that way instead of just shooting jump shots," said Jerebko, who also had nine rebounds. "I got a couple of easy ones, layups and then the jump shots came after that. We had some glimpses against Milwaukee and tonight I think we had a complete game instead of just half a game and I think it showed on the court."

Pistons coach Lawrence Frank wouldn't say it was his team's best performance of the season, but called it a step forward.

"There are a couple of different outcomes that happens in a game," he said. "You lose, and you play the right way. You win and play the right way. You lose and don't play the right way, and you win and don't play the right way. I thought we won and we played the right way, with purpose."

The Pistons got numerous uncontested shots in the middle and made the most of them. When Jerebko and Monroe weren't ripping up the Charlotte interior defense with some nifty passing, Ben Gordon and Brandon Knight were hitting from the outside.

All five starters finished in double digits for the Pistons, including Gordon with 14 points and Knight, who added 13 points and had 10 rebounds.

"My teammates attacked the gap of the zone that created opportunities for me and I was able to knock them down," Knight said. "Players like (Damien) Wilkins and (Rodney) Stuckey that created certain opportunities for me, those shots wouldn't have gone in or I wouldn't have been able to take them."

The Bobcats have lost six straight, prompting Jordan to meet with his players in a closed-door session inside the locker room for about five minutes after the game.

"He just came in the locker room and said we have to play better than that," said Bobcats forward Boris Diaw, who has been held to a combined three points in his last two games. "(He said) that Detroit is not a team that's better than us, and tonight they did play better than us. We have to find a way to win."

That's easier said than done for a Bobcats team light on talent and heavy on youth.

Coach Paul Silas was again critical of his players' toughness after getting outrebounded 46-34.

"Well, I saw a team that dominated us inside," Silas said. "Points in the paint, like 52, I think, to 36. That's kind of the game right there. We've got to have more toughness and we didn't tonight. It's just not a good sign for us."

When asked how you teach toughness, Silas seemed a loss for words, but hinted that changes could be coming in the future if he doesn't see improvement.

"I think it's engrained in you," Silas said. "I can talk about it as much as I want to but if a player is not tough, there's nothing I can really do. You know, you've just got to seek out the players that are and that are willing to take the hit and are willing to hit back, that kind of thing and you go forward with that."

Byron Mullens led Charlotte with 18 points, the eighth time in 10 games he's reached double digits. Mullens remains one of the few bright spots for the Bobcats, who continue to struggle with their shooting and rebounding with veteran leader Corey Maggette still out with a strained hamstring.

Kemba Walker had 16 points and D.J. Augustin had 13 assists for Charlotte.

It was the Bobcats' fourth game in five days and they looked like a very lethargic team. They'll complete a back-to-back-to-back Saturday night against Golden State.

The Pistons host the Warriors on Sunday.

NOTES: Jerebko had struggled with foul trouble in recent games with 14 fouls in four games, but it wasn't a problem against the Bobcats. ... The Pistons hit 7 of 14 3-point attempts, while the Bobcats made just 1 of 8. ... Diaw attempted a free throw for the first time in nine games, over 200 game minutes. ... The Bobcats have by far the league's worst point differential, losing by an average of 13 points per game. ... Augustin came within one of tying a career high for assists.

Notebook: Pistons 98, Bobcats 81

By Derek S. Smith, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 13, 2012 11:27PM

THE FACTS: Jonas Jerebko scored a career-best 22 points as the Detroit Pistons snapped a six-game losing streak and defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 98-81 Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. All five Pistons starters scored in double figures as they picked up their first road win of the season. Byron Mullens paced the Bobcats with 18 points.

QUOTABLE: "It was a great team effort tonight. I made my shots early and it felt good out there. Everybody did a great job finding the open players. Tonight was just my night. It felt good to get the win out there."
-- Detroit forward Jonas Jerebko

THE STAT: Rebounds. The Pistons came out aggressive on the glass Friday in Charlotte. Detroit had four offensive rebounds in the first three minutes of action and grabbed a total of 13 for the game. The Pistons used their rebounding advantage to outscore Charlotte in second chance points 17-8. Charlotte has been outrebounded in six of their last seven games.

TURNING POINT: Offensive woes. The Bobcats scored just two points in the final 4:09 of the second quarter and allowed the Pistons to blow the game open. Detroit led 43-37 after a Charlotte basket and then reeled off an 8-2 run to a comfortable 12-point lead into the half. Charlotte would never get closer than that margin the rest of the way.

QUOTABLE II: "He just came into the locker room and said we have to play better. He said, 'Detroit is not a team that's better than us but tonight they played better than us.'"
-- Charlotte forward Boris Diaw

HOT: Greg Monroe has evolved into a solid contributor for Detroit. The Pistons center scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds Friday against Charlotte. Monroe has averaged 18.5 points and nine rebounds in the last six games. Monroe made 21-of-36 shots in his last two outings while scoring 51 points.

NOT: Diaw is arguably the Charlotte Bobcats most versatile player. However, Diaw has not been productive on the offensive end of late for Charlotte. Diaw has scored seven points total in his last three games on 3-for-19 shooting and has been held to four points or less in four of his last five games.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Byron Mullens. The Bobcats most recent acquisition has been a pleasant surprise. Mullens has scored in double figures in eight of his last 10 contests including averaging 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was at the game, but was not in his courtside seats. He did meet Fernando Aguirre, CEO of Chiquita, at the game. Aguirre recently announced that Chiquita was moving its headquarters to Charlotte and also announced that the Chiquita Classic event on the PGA Nationwide Tour was coming to Charlotte in 2012. Also in attendance were actress Angie Harmon and her husband, former NFL player Jason Sehorn. The Bobcats also had Vinny from Jersey Shore at the game.

ROOKIE WATCH: Tonight it was the battle of lottery pick point guards. Charlotte's Kemba Walker and Detroit's Brandon Knight were selected back-to-back in the last year's draft and tonight Knight and his team came out on top. Knight scored 13 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists while adding a blocked shot and a steal. Walker played well off the bench with 16 points.

NOTABLE: Bismack Biyombo had a career-best five blocked shots. ... Gerald Henderson was held to single digits for the first time in five contests. ... D.J. Augustin had a season-high 13 assists for Charlotte. ... The Bobcats are last in scoring in the NBA. ... The Bobcats have been abysmal from the three-point line in their last three games. They have made just one triple in each game and are a total of 3-for-29 from behind the arc in that three-game stretch. ... Add DeSagana Diop to the list of Bobcats injuries. The center was a late scratch with knee inflammation. ... Pistons guard Brandon Knight recorded his first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. ... Monroe had 20-plus points for the fourth time this season. ... Ben Gordon netted double figures for the eighth time this season while teammate Tayshaun Prince had double figures for the seventh time this year.

UP NEXT: For the Pistons, Sunday vs. Golden State, Tuesday @Houston, Wednesday @ Minnesota. For the Bobcats, Saturday vs. Golden State, Monday vs. Cleveland, Tuesday @ Orlando.

• Pistons: --
• Bobcats: Najera, Williams

• Pistons: Gordon
• Bobcats: Henderson

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #74 Curtis Blair, #11 Derrick Collins
• Attendance: 18043
• Duration: 2:01