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Pistons look for second straight win against lowly Bobcats

Jan 10, 2007 - 4:33 PM Charlotte (9-23) at Detroit (20-12) 7:30 pm EST

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons are getting healthy against the league's worst teams.

The Pistons shoot for their third win in four games Wednesday when they host the lowly Charlotte Bobcats.

Without star guard Chauncey Billups, who has missed four straight games with a strained calf, Detroit relied on two of its other established playmakers in Tuesday's 98-89 win at Philadelphia.

Tayshaun Prince scored a career-high 33 points and Richard Hamilton added 12 of his 22 in the third quarter for the Pistons, who concluded a three-game road trip. A fourth-year forward, Prince connected on 13-of-18 shots - including 5-of-6 from 3-point range - and pulled down five rebounds.

One night after beating the lowly 76ers, the Pistons will take on the struggling Bobcats - a perfect recipe for a turnaround after some recent poor play.

On Friday, Matt Carroll made four 3-pointers and scored 19 points for Charlotte, which shot a dismal 29 percent (25-of-86) in a 106-74 blowout loss to Orlando.

Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton struggled, combining for just 16 points for the Bobcats, who have lost five of their last seven contests.

In the last matchup between the squads, Charlotte picked up a 97-89 victory over the Pistons on December 3.