Detroit @ New Orleans preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 1, 2017 ) Detroit 86, New Orleans 109

The Detroit Pistons' success of late has been dictated largely on whether they play at home or on the road. After pushing their home winning streak to five with an impressive victory over Houston on Saturday, the Pistons will try to snap a four-game road losing streak at New Orleans on Monday.

Playing without center Andre Drummond (ribs) for the second time in three games, Detroit rallied from an early hole to top the Rockets 107-101 one night after an embarrassing 36-point setback at Philadelphia. "We've sort of been up and down," coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters after the victory. "It's a good thing on a night like tonight. It's a bad thing on a night like last night. It's just a little too up and down. We need to be more consistent in what we do." The same could be said for the talented Pelicans, who followed up a 10-point win at Utah with a 116-98 loss at Minnesota to round out the 1-1 road trip. New Orleans has won eight straight against Detroit at home and nine of the last 10 meetings overall.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS New Orleans

ABOUT THE PISTONS (21-17): Tobias Harris shouldered the load in the win over Houston with 27 points and eight rebounds, and point guard Ish Smith added 17 points in his fifth straight start in place of the injured Reggie Jackson. Detroit hopes to get a little more out of Avery Bradley, who is 13-for-42 from the field and has attempted - and missed - only two free-throw attempts in three games since returning from a six-game absence. The Pistons are averaging 91 points during their four-game road slide.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (19-19): New Orleans fell behind by 12 points after one quarter in Minnesota even though the Timberwolves had played the night before in Boston, and it has trailed after the opening period in each of its last four games. "We weren't ready to play, we weren't ready to play and that's my fault," coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "I've got to get everybody ready to play but they beat us in all phases of the game. They were quicker, they were better defensively, they were into the ball, they got the 50/50 balls so they beat us in all phases of the game." DeMarcus Cousins led the way in the loss with 23 points and 15 rebounds.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pelicans F Anthony Davis averaged 32 points, 13 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two games against Detroit last season.

2. Pistons F Reggie Bullock is averaging 10.9 points on 56.5 percent shooting in 15 starts, compared to 1.6 points and 33 percent shooting in nine games off the bench.

3. New Orleans G Jrue Holiday missed all six of his 3-point tries Saturday after making at least one in his previous 22 games.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 108, Pistons 105