Detroit @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2017 ) Detroit 103, Philadelphia 108

The Detroit Pistons dropped their last three on the road, including a 111-104 setback at Miami on Wednesday that marked the start of a stretch with five of six away from home. The Pistons will try to rebound and snap the road slide when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

Detroit played one of its best games of the season in a 93-79 home win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday but followed that up by allowing the Heat to knock down 17 3-pointers in Wednesday's setback. "They were in the paint all night," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters of the Heat. "The ball was coming inside out. They just broke you down on the dribble, on pick and rolls and on drives. We could not keep the ball out of the paint and that was the story of the game." The 76ers enjoyed their own win over the Spurs with a 112-106 triumph on Wednesday that marked their third straight win and fourth in the last five games. Philadelphia, which dropped nine of 10 before turning things around recently, can get back to .500 with a win on Friday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit-plus, NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE PISTONS (20-16): One big difference between the win over the Spurs on Saturday and the loss on Wednesday was the absence of center Andre Drummond, who sat out in Miami after taking a shot to the ribs in practice on Tuesday and is day-to-day. "What Andre's able to bring for us on the defensive end, I think he is the best big man in pick-and-roll defense in the NBA," Detroit shooting guard Avery Bradley told the team's website. "It was tough. We still had a chance to help each other and talk on the defensive end because that's what it's all about. But we did miss him on both ends of the floor tonight." Bradley (groin) is battling through his own injury and returned from a seven-game absence on Wednesday, contributing 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting in 38 minutes.

ABOUT THE 76ERS (18-19): Philadelphia rookie point guard Ben Simmons scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter on Wednesday and went 10-of-15 from the free-throw line in the contest, marking the second straight game in which he attempted double-digit free throws. "That in itself is a huge win for me when he gets back to the line," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters of Simmons. "It's a mentality more than it is a skill, and that mentality of him attacking the basket, and going to the free throw line, then growing the confidence. ... That's a hell of a package." Simmons averaged 23.5 points and went a combined 17-of-26 from the line in the last two games after slumping to six points without attempting a free throw in a win over Denver on Dec. 30.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons SF Reggie Bullock is 12-of-20 from 3-point range over the last three games.

2. 76ers SG JJ Redick is averaging 20.6 points over the last games and buried multiple 3-pointers in each of those contests.

3. Philadelphia took each of the first two meetings this season, including a 108-103 home victory on Dec. 2.

PREDICTION: 76ers 106, Pistons 103