Playoff implications abound as Pistons host Bobcats on ‘Social Media Night’ at the Palace

Essentials

Teams: Charlotte Bobcats at Detroit Pistons

Date: Feb. 2, 2011

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Television: Fox Sports Detroit

Records

Pistons: 17-31

Bobcats: 20-27

Probable starters

Pistons:

• Tracy McGrady
• Ben Gordon
• Tayshaun Prince
• Chris Wilcox
• Greg Monroe

Bobcats:

• D.J. Augustin
• Stephen Jackson
• Gerald Wallace
• Boris Diaw
• Kwame Brown

Las Vegas projection

Spread: Pick

Over/under: 185

Score: Tie, 92.5-92.5

Three things to watch

1. Kwame Brown says ‘I’ll show you small carni-like hands!”

Since Brown became the Bobcats’ starting center at the beginning of January, he’s averaged 8.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and shooting around 55 percent in 16 games. And you thought only young players got much better after leaving the Pistons!

2. Bobcats making a playoff push

Charlotte looked dead in the water before making a coaching change. The Bobcats were listless and were falling further and further (even in the East) out of the playoffs before Larry Brown was fired. Under Paul Silas, they’ve gone 11-8. Certainly not lighting the world on fire, but the Bobcats are playing harder even in the face of an injury to Tyrus Thomas, who was having a monster season blocking shots and rebounding even though Brown was inexplicably only playing him about 20 minutes a game.

3. Injuries still a factor

Rodney Stuckey won’t play, according to people who know such things. But don’t worry folks: Rip Hamilton says he feels ‘a little better’ after this pesky two-week case of the flu, according to Keith Langlois. Langlois reports Hamilton is listed as probable. John Kuester will see about that.

3B. Social Media Night at the Palace

Dan Feldman and Graham Simmington from PistonPowered are among several Pistons bloggers who get a chance to cover tonight’s game in-person. Fans at home who use Facebook and Twitter should also get some unique perspective or the chance to interact during the game. Should be interesting, and hopefully, PP will have some cool content afterwards for everyone.

Pregame Reading

• Hickory High has more interesting data on ‘clutch’
• Allan Houston’s jersey will get retired at UT
• Basketball Jones has a ‘Melo drinking game that sounds dangerous
• Prince’s dunk on Gallinari was nice

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