Dallas @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2017 ) Detroit 93, Dallas 110

The Detroit Pistons were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, and the final four games of the season will give the team a chance to look at some different lineups. The Pistons will begin that evaluation period by hosting the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Detroit kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a five-game winning streak but finally watched it slip away on Wednesday and would need to win each of its final four games to finish the season with a .500 record. "It's just tough to end up with a loss," Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson, who went 1-of-11 from the floor on Wednesday, told reporters. "Just watching the last seconds ticking and realizing we’re out of playoff contention, that was the toughest part, the most frustrating part." The Mavericks fell out of the race in the West months ago and are turning the final games over to the young players with Dirk Nowitzki (ankle) and J.J. Barea (oblique) expected to sit out the rest of the way. Dallas is 9-30 on the road and began the current three-game trip with a 105-100 loss at Orlando on Wednesday.

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

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (24-55): Nowitzki underwent surgery on his right ankle on Thursday and heads into the offseason with an uncertain future. The future Hall of Famer, who is expected to make a quick recovery from surgery, will turn 40 in June and averaged 12 points this season - his lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 1998-99. Rookie power forward Johnathan Motley got the start on Wednesday in place of Nowitzki and recorded season highs with 14 points, eight rebounds and 41 minutes.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (37-41): Detroit is trying to find more minutes for its own young power forward, and Henry Ellenson averaged 15.3 minutes over the last four games. "I would think that he would play some more minutes, but we'll see," Van Gundy told reporters of his plans for Ellenson over the last four games. "I think he's developed pretty well. He's come on. He's gotten better. Over this four-game stretch, he's played pretty well. I'd like him to shoot the ball better, but I think he’s played pretty well." Ellenson got a few minutes at center on Wednesday when Andre Drummond ran into foul trouble and could continue to fill that role.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons PF Anthony Tolliver went 7-of-8 from 3-point range en route to a season-high 25 points on Wednesday.

2. Mavericks rookie PG Dennis Smith Jr. (knee) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

3. Dallas took the last meeting 110-93 at home on Dec. 20 behind 25 points from SF Harrison Barnes.

PREDICTION: Pistons 106, Mavericks 103