If the Pistons can do anything to improve on last year’s 39-43 record, it starts with winning on Sunday, especially early tip-off times like today’s 1 p.m. tip against Philadelphia.

The Pistons were 4-12 on Sunday last season, which means they were over .500 on the year for games Monday-Saturday. Their first Sunday win didn’t come until Jan. 4 when they edged ahead of the Clippers, 88-87.

The six Sunday losses in 2008 that preceded Jan. 4 were truly forgettable. The Pistons lost by an average of 15 points, and a lethargic offense mustered just 82.8 points. Nothing typified the Sunday struggles more than a 106-80 defeat to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves at The Palace Nov. 23.

Pistons head coach John Kuester was with Cleveland last season and couldn’t speak to that woeful track record, but he did acknowledge the unique circumstances a 1 p.m. tip-off presents.

“It changes your routine,” Kuester said at practice Saturday afternoon. “All of a sudden you’re focused on getting things sped up a little bit getting ready for a one o’clock game. Sometimes the juices are flowing at the right time; sometimes they’re not.”

One theory prescribed to the Sunday slump suggested the Pistons’ veteran-laden squad had a tougher time get their legs underneath them by starting earlier in the day. That theory will be tested Sunday now that the team is younger at nearly every position - which raises another concern for Kuester.

“Our young guards and a number of our young players period have not experienced a one o’clock game,” Kuester said. “Whatever it takes for them to get mentally and physically ready to get ready for that one o’clock start is important because last night we had a seven o’clock start and the first quarter wasn’t the way we wanted to play it.”

Kuester was referring to Orlando’s 18-3 start Friday night, which tipped off an hour earlier than the team’s customary 8 p.m. tip on Fridays. The Magic finished the first quarter with a 40-23 lead and held on for the 110-103 victory.

“We’re kind of accustomed to night games,” said forward Charlie Villanueva. “These one o’clock games are very rare but we have them in our schedule. We’ll just have to find a way. We’re playing at home, so we’ve got the advantage of that, being here.”

Early Sunday contests are more common than Villanueva might realize, especially between now and New Year’s. The Pistons play on seven of the next eight Sundays, with three 1 p.m. tip-offs. Today is the first of five straight Sunday games for the Pistons, with four at The Palace.

Kuester: Prince “probably going to be out for a little bit”

The Pistons announced Saturday that Tayshaun Prince will be out indefinitely following an MRI exam that confirmed a ruptured disc in his lower back. Prince and Rip Hamilton (ankle) have not played since October.

“Right now, [I] don’t foresee Tayshaun or Rip tomorrow for sure,” Kuester said about Sunday’s game against the 76ers.

Interestingly, neither player led the Pistons against Philadelphia last season. It was Rodney Stuckey, who averaged 18.3 points on 51.4% shooting and 5.0 assists. He had just three turnovers total in three meetings. Though Stuckey’s counterpart from last season, Andre Miller, is now with Portland, the 6-foot-5 Stuckey still has a favorable matchup against the elusive but slightly built Louis Williams.

Williams scored a team-high 18 points Friday as the Sixers (3-2) rallied with 29 points in the fourth quarter to keep New Jersey winless, 97-94. Williams and Andre Iguodala combined for 34 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Iguodala is averaging a team-high 18.4 points, followed closely by Williams (17.2 ppg).

Philly’s frontcourt scoring should be coming from Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young, but neither has been as consistent as they’ve been in the past. (Each scored eight points Friday.) The Sixers’ most productive big man has been reserve Marreese Speights. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Speights is averaging 13.2 points on 61.0% shooting. He had 10 points in 18 minutes Friday.

After consecutive road games against the likes of Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh, the Pistons get a bit of a break against center Samuel Dalembert, who isn’t an offensive threat. He scored just two points Friday.

The Pistons went 1-2 against the Sixers last season, their first losing record against them in nine years. With no indication that the Sixers can hurt Detroit inside like Toronto and Orlando did, the Pistons should be able to get back into the win column. Ben Gordon, Stuckey and Will Bynum could feast on the 76ers’ 25th-ranked scoring defense. (106.4 points allowed).

Pretzer’s Prediction: Pistons 88, 76ers 85
(Records: Pistons 2-4, Ryan 2-4)