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Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons preview: The road trip begins

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Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons preview: The road trip begins


That’ll help. Following a disastrous loss to the Memphis Grizzlies the night before, the Brooklyn Nets took on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Barclays Center. The Nets got the job done and came away with a much needed victory. If it makes the Nets feel better, the Grizzlies beat the 76ers as well.

When you were on track to be one of the worst teams in professional sports history, being merely bad is a bit of a blessing. When we last saw the Detroit Pistons, they were in the midst of the longest losing streak in NBA history. They wound up tying the 76ers, but they haven’t sunk to those lows since then. They were on the road to play the Miami Heat on Tuesday night but lost a close one late.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:00 p.m. ET.

Injuries

No Ben Simmons Cam Johnson or Cam Thomas. Day’Ron Sharpe is questionable with a right wrist contusion. Noah Clowney remains with the big club.

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Quentin Grimes is out with a right knee injury.

The game

Brooklyn won games one and two in December. In a truly hilarious bit, they went all out to beat the Pistons but punted the home game the next night against the Milwaukee Bucks. What a time.

Road trips test your character, and road trips near the end of the season when you’re fighting for your season are the biggest challenge possible. Brooklyn’s five game road trip will take them to:

  • Detroit
  • Charlotte
  • Cleveland
  • Orlando
  • Indiana
  • San Antonio

By the time they’re back, we’ll know definitively if they have a chance to make the postseason.

Our guy Collin Helwig noted the workload Mikal Bridges has taken on, and he’ll have even more on his plate for this road trip. He’ll need to continue finding his way to the basket so he can put downhill pressure on opponents. When your jumper isn’t falling, you can make up for it by maintaining aggressiveness and getting to the rim.

I feel like Nets fans can answer this for Monty Williams

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Always remember: live ball turnovers = BIG TROUBLE!

When you give your star room to operate, good things happen. It’s been a rough year in the D, but Cade Cunningham has kept progressing. Over his last 11 games, the former number one pick is averaging around 22/7/5 on 47/42/88 shooting splits. Throughout the Pistons’ struggles, he’s kept a brave face and kept working to get better.

Dennis Schroder has been solid as the Nets point guard, and he’ll look to put on another solid show tonight. DS can get downhill, is someone who can make a play in the clutch, and is a general menace to opponents. You need guys like that and with each game taking on the highest importance, a guy like this will do wonders for the team.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers last night with Donovan Mitchell. They’re now three up on the Brooklyn Nets.

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Player to watch: Jalen Duren

Even when things appear darkest, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. In addition to Cunningham, Pistons fans can look forward to the continued growth of Jalen Duren. The second year big is still only 20 years old, but you see where his game is going. He had a relatively rough February, but the more he plays and the more he gets acclimated to increased responsibility, the better he’ll be for it in the long term.

With Day’Ron Sharpe likely out, Nic Claxton will have to do more. Clax has steadied what had been a struggling Nets defense and gotten them back to something approaching respectability. Kevin Ollie has given him a bit more room to operate and create offensively, and it’s been paying dividends. The great thing about young players is when you boost their confidence and give them room to grow on the job, great things happen.

From the Vault

The NCAA Tournament is starting soon, and Michigan Wolverines fans have some good memories associated with March Madness

More reading: Detroit Bad Boys, SB Nation NBA, Nets Republic, Piston Powered

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions rule out All-Pro safety, list 7 others as questionable vs. Rams

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Detroit Lions rule out All-Pro safety, list 7 others as questionable vs. Rams


ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions will be without safety Kerby Joseph again this weekend, while listing seven other players as questionable.

Joseph and fellow safety Brian Branch were the only players ruled out ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Branch is out for the season due to an Achilles injury, but has not been placed on injured reserve yet. And Joseph, who will now miss his eighth straight game, suffered a setback and could be a candidate for injured reserve, per Dan Campbell.

The Lions listed tight end Shane Zylstra (knee), running back Sione Vaki (thumb), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle), guard Christian Mahogany (fibula), safety Thomas Harper (concussion protocol), left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder/rest) and guard Kayode Awosika (foot) as questionable.

Decker has not practiced this week. But he’s been dealing with a shoulder injury all season and is coming off playing three games in less than two weeks. Awosika missed last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to his foot injury. The veteran guard has practiced in a limited capacity all week long.

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Trystan Colon and Miles Frazier split duties at left guard last week for Awosika. The Lions will have a decision to make there between those three options, but perhaps for only another weekend.

Mahogany returned to practice this week. He seems like a longshot to play this weekend based on his injury. But the Lions are listing him as questionable after logging three limited practices in his first action back on the field.

Zylstra has been back at practice for two weeks in his return from injured reserve. Heading into the weekend, the Lions have only one tight end on their 53-man roster (Anthony Firkser) and hope to get Zylstra back.

Campbell said Harper has a chance to play against the Rams despite spending the week in concussion protocol. The Lions could sure use Harper, with Branch and Joseph both out, to hold things down at safety with Avonte Maddox against the high-powered Rams.

“Harper will be out there at practice today, so feel pretty good about him, but we’ll see,” Campbell said on Friday morning. “There again, I can’t give you definitives right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at.

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“So, we’ll be good. Look, (Erick) Hallett’s been taking reps, (Daniel Thomas) DT’s been taking reps, Maddox has been taking reps. We’ve got plenty of guys. They’re getting valuable reps, so we’re good.”

Raymond has missed two consecutive games due to an ankle injury suffered against the New York Giants. He has a shot to return after working back into practice, and should reclaim his role returning punts.

Vaki has continued to play through his thumb injury. He hasn’t returned kickoffs since suffering the injury, with Tom Kennedy and Jacob Saylors taking over.



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Oilers turn in smart, defensive game and Hyman hat trick for 4-1 win over Detroit: Cult of Hockey Player Grades

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Oilers turn in smart, defensive game and Hyman hat trick for 4-1 win over Detroit: Cult of Hockey Player Grades


CONNOR McDAVID. 9. In a quiet first minutes of this one McDavid had the most dangerous shot for, glancing off Talbot’s shoulder and out. Terrific patience on the doorstep before dishing to Hyman for the 1-0. Nearly outwaited Talbot again later in the frame. Dished the disk back to Ekholm on the 2-0. Pranced in and rifled a backhand off Talbot. Hi-lite reel assist on the 3-1, where he knocks down a puck then puts a backhand through his own legs to a waiting Hyman alone in the slot. An assist on the 4-1, for his forty-third four-point game. 63% on faceoffs. Second Star.



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SAY Detroit unveils plans for new play center on city’s west side

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SAY Detroit unveils plans for new play center on city’s west side


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SAY Detroit had a surprise in store during its 14th annual fundraiser.

The charity founded by Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom announced plans for a new SAY Detroit Play Center on the city’s west side during its annual radiothon, taking place on Thursday, Dec. 11. The after-school educational center will be built on the campus of St. Cecilia’s church, which includes the historic St. Cecilia gym, also known as the Mecca of Detroit basketball.

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The new facility will be called the SAY Detroit Play Center at St. Cecilia.

This will be the organization’s second play center, with the first opening in 2015 along Van Dyke Avenue on the city’s east side. The center provides educational and recreational opportunities for kids from 8-18 at Lipke Park.

The announcement was made during the foundation’s 15-hour radiothon, which raises money for SAY Detroit and other affiliated charities. Last year’s radiothon raised a record $2.23 million, with the fundraiser bringing in over $16.5 million in total since it was launched in 2012.

SAY Detroit was founded in 2006 by Albom and operates the play center and free family health clinic, along with providing a housing program for Detroit families and other direct efforts with the community.

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Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!

You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.



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