By: Daniel Carp, Grizzlies.com Contributor
Detroit Pistons
Record: 23-43
Standings: 12th in Eastern Conference, fifth in Central Division
Starting Five: PG Reggie Jackson, SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SF Caron Butler, PF Tayshaun Prince, C Andre Drummond
Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy (first season with team)
Last time out
The Jazz were always able to stay one step ahead of the Pistons, capturing an 88-85 victory in Salt Lake City Saturday night thanks to a surge in the final minute and key defensive stops. Detroit went into the final quarter trailing 64-55 but quickly erased that deficit with a 9-0 run to open the period. The teams battled back-and-forth until the final minute, when point guard Trey Burke banked in a floater with 13.1 seconds remaining to put Utah up three. Spencer Dinwiddie's last-ditch 3-point attempt for the Pistons fell off the mark as the team suffered its 10th consecutive loss.
Power forward Greg Monroe led Detroit with 16 points and 13 rebounds. His counterpart, Derrick Favors, scored 26 points from the Jazz, including a 10-for-13 performance from the free-throw line.
Last time versus Memphis
The Grizzlies and Pistons haven't met since Nov. 15, when Memphis pushed its record to 9-1 with a 95-88 victory against Detroit. Trailing by 11 points inside four minutes to play, the Pistons made a last-ditch run and pulled to within five following small forward Kyle Singler's fifth 3-pointer of the night with 1:43 remaining. Point guard Mike Conley helped steady the ship for the Grizzlies, scoring four of the team's final six points to hold on for the win.
Singler scored a team-high 21 points thanks to some sharp-shooting, hitting 5-of-7 from long range and a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. For Memphis, center Marc Gasol added 23 points and power forward Zach Randolph notched 17 points and 22 rebounds.
Key matchup
Detriot's banged-up front line will hinge on the play of center Andre Drummond, who suffered a concussion in Saturday's loss to Utah but was not listed on the Pistons' injury report heading into their matchup with the Grizzlies. Drummond will have to take on center Marc Gasol without his frontcourt-mate, power forward Greg Monroe, attracting attention from the Memphis defense. The 21-year-old center will have to shoulder an increased role in Detroit's offense while defending the Grizzlies' All-Star center—no small task. A matchup between Drummond's superior leaping ability and Gasol's soft touch around the rim should be an exciting one.
Misc. Notes
Streaking for revenge?
The Pistons' current 10-game losing streak is their second-longest of the season. Detroit's 13-game losing streak earlier in the season began with the team's loss to the Grizzlies the last time the teams squared off. As they approach that mark, the Pistons will look to end their streak against the same team that helped them start another.
Prince, Grizzlies meet again
Tuesday night will be Tayshaun Prince's first contest against the Grizzlies since Memphis traded him to Boston Jan. 12 as a part of the Jeff Green deal.
Injury note
Power forward Greg Monroe will not play against the Grizzlies Tuesday due to a right knee strain.
One obscure stat
When it comes to basketball, the Pistons could be "America's team." Thirteen of the 14 players on Detroit's roster played their college basketball in the United States (the lone exception being Brandon Jennings, who played high school basketball in America but did not play college basketball). The team boasts just two international players—Canadian-born Joel Anthony and Reggie Jackson, who was born in Italy to American parents.