SCOUTING REPORT: The Nets opened the season with a road win at Washington, but they came home to lose to Golden State and Phoenix by an average of 13 points. These are troubling numbers: While the Nets are making just 41 percent of their shots and scoring 92.7 points a game, they’re allowing their first three opponents to make 47 percent and score 101.3. Vince Carter is the last remnant left of New Jersey’s Big Three, Jason Kidd having been shipped to Dallas at the trade deadline last February and Richard Jefferson sent to Milwaukee on draft day in June. Carter is averaging 20 points and shooting 51 percent so far in 33 minutes a game. Devin Harris is a solid replacement for Kidd. Yi Jianlian, who came over from Milwaukee, is averaging 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds. He starts up front with third-year center Josh Boone. They’re backed by rookies Brook Lopez – leading the team in rebounding at 7.3 a game in just 21 minutes – and Ryan Anderson, who has shown some promise in averaging 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds. Interior defense is a problem for New Jersey with all those young guys up front. Ex-Piston Jarvis Hayes is coming off the bench but actually getting more minutes and outperforming starter Bobby Simmons. Hayes is averaging 10 points and shooting 52 percent in 26 minutes, fourth on the team, to 7.0 points, 32 percent and 23 minutes for Simmons.

PISTONS PERSPECTIVE: Allen Iverson’s expected Wednesday debut was delayed so Chauncey Billups could get medical clearance in Denver, but all systems are go for tonight. Iverson won’t have anything close to a complete grasp of the playbook, so look for Michael Curry to keep it simple while Iverson is in the game. In the transition from the Billups to Iverson eras, the Pistons have gone 2-0 – running their record to 4-0 – despite being shorthanded. Curry has shown his faith in his bench, playing Alex Acker, Will Bynum, Walter Herrmann and Kwame Brown for extended fourth-quarter stretches of Wednesday’s tight game win at Toronto. With Iverson still getting acquainted, the Pistons could again run much of their offense through Tayshaun Prince so he can exploit the advantage they’ll have over the Nets at small forward. This is a little bit of a trap game for the Pistons, who not only will be making the adjustment to playing with Iverson but also might be inclined to look ahead to Sunday’s home game with Boston.

Probable Starters

Prince Johnson Wallace Hamilton Stuckey Forward Forward Center Guard Guard Simmons Yi Boone Carter Harris