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Timberwolves (2-9) @ Pistons (8-4)
The Detroit Pistons' roller-coaster season has already featured emphatic victories, blowout losses and a blockbuster trade, but most of it has happened away from Auburn Hills.
The Pistons finally begin their first substantial homestand of the season on Sunday against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves, their first of four straight games at the Palace.
Its season is less than four weeks old, but Detroit (8-4) has already had its share of highs and lows. The Pistons' last two victories ended winning streaks of at least seven games by the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland, but their last two losses were 18-point drubbings at Phoenix and Boston.
They're also still adjusting to life with Allen Iverson, who was acquired for three players - including point guard Chauncey Billups - from Denver on Nov. 3. They didn't have much time with Iverson to prepare for a difficult stretch of their schedule, as eight of their last 10 have been on the road, with six of those 10 against 2008 playoff teams.
Twice, they've had to face the defending champions, losing 88-76 at home to the Celtics on Nov. 9 before Thursday's 98-80 defeat in Boston. The Pistons trailed by as many as 29 in their latest loss, and both teams' reserves were on the floor for most of the fourth quarter.
"We're still trying to find our identity, and it's still early in the season," Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said. "Any time you lose to a team two times by over 20 points, that's absolutely bananas because we don't play like that."
The losses may have seemed even worse than their final scores to Hamilton, but things could be about to get easier for the Pistons. They've played only four home games in their first 12, but they play each of their next four at the Palace, all against teams that missed the playoffs last season.
The Timberwolves (2-9) certainly fit into that category after going 22-60 in 2007-08. They're off to another tough start, losing their first five road games and enduring an eight-game losing streak before Wednesday's 102-96 win over Philadelphia.
Minnesota is also coming off a lopsided loss to the Celtics, as Boston forward Kevin Garnett made his first on-court appearance in Minneapolis since he was traded to the Celtics before last season.
Garnett, who spent his first 12 seasons with the Timberwolves, had 17 points in Boston's 95-78 win on Friday night, when Minnesota was outscored 35-10 in the third quarter.
"We just relented into it," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. "We didn't try to fight through and find ways to get to the free throw line more."
Timberwolves leading scorer Al Jefferson had 23 points, but the rest of the team's starting lineup combined for just 19 as the team shot 31.3 percent. Randy Foye was just 2-of-12 from the field, scoring four points, and is shooting under 35 percent this season.
Jefferson has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games, but Minnesota has won just once over that span.
He had 30 points at Detroit last April 15, but the Wolves still lost 115-103 even though the Pistons' starters played limited minutes while resting for the playoffs. Detroit also won 94-90 at Minnesota on April 1 - without Billups, Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace - to sweep the season series.
The Detroit Pistons' roller-coaster season has already featured emphatic victories, blowout losses and a blockbuster trade, but most of it has happened away from Auburn Hills.
The Pistons finally begin their first substantial homestand of the season on Sunday against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves, their first of four straight games at the Palace.
Its season is less than four weeks old, but Detroit (8-4) has already had its share of highs and lows. The Pistons' last two victories ended winning streaks of at least seven games by the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland, but their last two losses were 18-point drubbings at Phoenix and Boston.
They're also still adjusting to life with Allen Iverson, who was acquired for three players - including point guard Chauncey Billups - from Denver on Nov. 3. They didn't have much time with Iverson to prepare for a difficult stretch of their schedule, as eight of their last 10 have been on the road, with six of those 10 against 2008 playoff teams.
Twice, they've had to face the defending champions, losing 88-76 at home to the Celtics on Nov. 9 before Thursday's 98-80 defeat in Boston. The Pistons trailed by as many as 29 in their latest loss, and both teams' reserves were on the floor for most of the fourth quarter.
"We're still trying to find our identity, and it's still early in the season," Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said. "Any time you lose to a team two times by over 20 points, that's absolutely bananas because we don't play like that."
The losses may have seemed even worse than their final scores to Hamilton, but things could be about to get easier for the Pistons. They've played only four home games in their first 12, but they play each of their next four at the Palace, all against teams that missed the playoffs last season.
The Timberwolves (2-9) certainly fit into that category after going 22-60 in 2007-08. They're off to another tough start, losing their first five road games and enduring an eight-game losing streak before Wednesday's 102-96 win over Philadelphia.
Minnesota is also coming off a lopsided loss to the Celtics, as Boston forward Kevin Garnett made his first on-court appearance in Minneapolis since he was traded to the Celtics before last season.
Garnett, who spent his first 12 seasons with the Timberwolves, had 17 points in Boston's 95-78 win on Friday night, when Minnesota was outscored 35-10 in the third quarter.
"We just relented into it," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. "We didn't try to fight through and find ways to get to the free throw line more."
Timberwolves leading scorer Al Jefferson had 23 points, but the rest of the team's starting lineup combined for just 19 as the team shot 31.3 percent. Randy Foye was just 2-of-12 from the field, scoring four points, and is shooting under 35 percent this season.
Jefferson has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games, but Minnesota has won just once over that span.
He had 30 points at Detroit last April 15, but the Wolves still lost 115-103 even though the Pistons' starters played limited minutes while resting for the playoffs. Detroit also won 94-90 at Minnesota on April 1 - without Billups, Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace - to sweep the season series.
