Pistons look for bounce back win in Dallas

Pistons blew fourth quarter lead to New Orleans Friday

DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Mavericks look to get back on track after a 1-3 stretch when they start a four-game homestand against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. The Mavericks lost 107-106 on Friday at Brooklyn to complete a three-game trip with one victory but will face three teams with losing records in the next nine days on their home court. The Pistons come in with three consecutive losses, the last two by a combined five points, to drop out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit gives up an average of 102.9 points to rank just behind Dallas (102.4) while the Pistons allow 46.8 percent shooting – 29th in the league. Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis, who average almost 41 points between them, hope to exploit Detroit's inconsistent defense. Pistons' leading scorer Brandon Jennings rebounded from a zero-point outing with 58 points combined in the last two.

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TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (17-26): Andre Drummond comes in with seven straight double-doubles while averaging 12.8 points and a team-high 12.8 rebounds, and said the team remains confident.

"We never have doubts," Drummond told reporters after the 103-101 loss to New Orleans on Friday. "We just make poor decisions down the stretch of the game sometimes and we have to get better at it."

Jennings leads a balanced offense at 16.6 points, followed by Josh Smith (15.4) and reserve Rodney Stuckey (14.3).

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (25-20): Dallas has yielded an average of 110 points in the last six contests and coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the loss at Brooklyn, "We were just poor defensively."

The Mavericks can put the ball in the basket through, ranking in the top third in the league in scoring, led by Nowtzki (21) and Ellis (19.9 points, six assists). Veteran reserve Vince Carter made 8-of-15 from the field and scored 19 points against Brooklyn after shooting only 31.7 percent in his previous five outings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Detroit has not won a regular-season series against the Mavericks since 1997-98 and dropped the last five games at Dallas.

2. Stuckey has scored at least 20 points in four of his last five games for the Pistons.

3. Dallas F Shawn Marion (seven) leads the team in rebounding averages 11.3 points.