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Raptors-Pistons Preview

Apr 12, 2010 - 2:56 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Toronto (38-41) at Detroit (26-54), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Toronto Raptors haven't been making things easy on themselves lately, and their playoff chances took major hit with a devastating loss last time out.

Mired in a five-game losing streak, the banged-up Raptors try to avoid being eliminated from postseason consideration Monday night when they visit a Detroit Pistons team that has already defeated two playoff-bound teams this past week.

Toronto (38-42) is coming off a 104-88 loss to Chicago on Sunday to drop one game behind the Bulls in the race for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.

The Raptors, who had a 1 1/2-game lead over Chicago before their skid, will be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss, coupled with a Bulls win. If Toronto beats the Pistons, Chicago needs to win its final two games - Tuesday against Boston and Wednesday at Charlotte - to make the playoffs.

The Bulls will miss the postseason, however, if they finish with the same record as the Raptors, who hold the tiebreaker.

"We have two more left, and they have two more. We have to win out," said Toronto's Sonny Weems. "We have to dig in. We still have a chance. If some players on the team are giving up, then they shouldn't be here."

Making matters more difficult for the Raptors is that Chris Bosh is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season after surgery last week to repair broken bones in his face after taking an elbow from Cleveland's Antawn Jamison on Tuesday.

Toronto is 3-7 without its five-time All-Star forward this season.

The Raptors have won the first three meetings of the season against the Pistons, and Bosh has played a big part in those victories, averaging 20.7 points and 11.0 rebounds.

Hedo Turkoglu is averaging 13.7 points and 7.7 assists against the Pistons this season, but he's had a tough time stepping up in Bosh's absence.

Turkoglu, who injured his nose in Wednesday's 115-104 loss to Boston, is averaging 5.7 points on 31.8 percent shooting in his last three games. He grabbed a career-best 19 rebounds Sunday, but missed 10 of 12 shots and finished with six points.

Toronto, which has never swept a season series from Detroit, hasn't played the Pistons since a 102-95 home win on Dec. 27.

The Pistons (26-54) have their most losses since going 28-54 in 1994-95, but they haven't given up.

After defeating third-place Atlanta 90-88 on Wednesday and sixth-place Miami 106-99 two days later to win its third in a row, Detroit nearly knocked off seventh-place Charlotte on Saturday. Playing without Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Rodney Stuckey (rib), the Pistons led the Bobcats by one with just over a minute remaining, but missed their final four shots and lost 99-95.

"This is exactly what we were talking about, just going out and competing every night, respecting other teams in the playoff hunt and going out there and challenging them," said Ben Gordon, who finished with 21 points a night after scoring 39 against the Heat. "That's what we've been doing."

A stronger defensive presence has spurred this turnaround.

The Pistons are allowing an average of 97.3 points in their last four games after yielding 107.1 points on 53.2 percent shooting during an 11-game losing streak.