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Sign up for E-newsPistons vs. Kings Gameday
SCOUTING REPORT: The Kings come to The Palace with an 8-24 record after a two-point home win over a Clippers team playing without Zach Randolph. That game marked the return to the lineup of Kevin Martin, Sacramento’s leading scorer, after missing 22 games over two chunks of the season with a sprained left ankle. Martin came off of the bench to score a team-high 20 points in the Clippers game, but probably will be back in the starting lineup for Francisco Garcia against the Pistons. That gives the Kings their go-top scorer (20.7 per game) back, though Martin’s shooting percentage is well off (.417) this season. Sacramento probably will be without promising second-year big man Spencer Hawes (11.1, 7.2 rebounds), who missed Tuesday’s game and the last two days of practice with an abdominal strain. John Salmons (19.5) flourished as the No. 1 scorer with Martin out. Ex-Piston Mikki Moore (4.4, 4.3 rebounds) had lost his starting spot to Hawes, but is temporarily back in. Brad Miller (11.6, 7.6 rebounds) is rumored to be trade bait, but continues to hold down the middle for the Kings and remains a solid scoring threat out to 20 feet. Rookie lottery pick Jason Thompson (9.2, 6.7 rebounds) has shown great promise off the bench, capable of playing any spot along the front line. Beno Udrih (11.6, 4.8 assists) is a capable point guard and gets backup help from veteran Bobby Jackson and rookie Bobby Brown, an undrafted Summer League find. Reggie Theus was fired in the NBA’s early-season purge and has been replaced by assistant Kenny Natt on an interim basis. Ex-Pistons coach Flip Saunders is rumored to be a strong candidate to take over if he’s interested.
PISTONS PERSPECTIVE: The Pistons will be severely short staffed with Rip Hamilton (groin) and Rasheed Wallace (foot) both declared out and Antonio McDyess (ribs) a game-time decision. It’s a big game for the Pistons, who carry a five-game winning streak and are facing an imposing Western Conference road trip that concludes with three games in four nights against contenders Portland, Denver and Utah. Sacramento swept the season series last year, but the Pistons won at Sacramento in November on a night they were without Rodney Stuckey. With Wallace and McDyess out, Michael Curry probably will start Kwame Brown up front on Miller and have Amir Johnson guard Moore with Jason Maxiell playing liberally off of the bench. Curry could also go smaller with Prince a physical match for the slight Moore and Arron Afflalo moving into the starting lineup at small forward. Afflalo has averaged 25 minutes a game over the last five to emerge as a rotation constant. Will Bynum and Walter Herrmann are also more likely to play with the shortened bench.
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