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Pistons, Sixers renew rivalry at The Palace

Jan 8, 2011 - 4:02 PM (Sports Network) - The Detroit Pistons will renew their rivalry with the Philadelphia 76ers tonight from The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons took three of four meetings with Philadelphia a season ago and are 12-6 in the last 18 matchups between the teams. The Sixers have lost eight of 12 and nine of their last 14 contests at The Palace. Detroit guard Ben Gordon averaged a team-high 18.7 ppg against the 76ers last season.

Detroit has lost three in a row overall and five of its last six games, including Tuesday's 108-83 setback at the hands of the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the finale of a winless three-game road at Staples Center. Greg Monroe posted 14 points and 11 rebounds and Tracy McGrady also scored 14 points for the Pistons.

"We played extremely well in the first half, but in the third period, they took advantage of every opportunity," said Detroit head coach John Kuester. "We don't have the toughness to grind things out."

McGrady is averaging 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his last 10 games compared to 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his previous 25. The Pistons bench is averaging 39.3 points per game which ranks first in the NBA this season. Detroit is 8-8 at home in 2010-11.

Philadelphia is coming off consecutive home wins over Washington and Chicago, following an eight-game road trip in which it went 3-5. In a hard-fought 105-99 triumph over the Bulls on Friday from Wells Fargo Center, Jodie Meeks scored 24 points, Lou Williams added 20 in a reserve role and Jrue Holiday compiled 19 points and six assists to help the 76ers avenge an embarrassing 121-76 defeat at Chicago on December 21.

Meeks had totaled 14 points in his previous four games combined before last night's game and buried 4-of-7 from three-point range.

"When he's shooting like that he gravitates towards the ball. We definitely tried to give him the ball," Holiday said of the streaky Meeks.

After Saturday's tilt with the Pistons, Philadelphia will return to the City of Brotherly Love to face Indiana, Milwaukee and Charlotte. The Sixers improved to 10-6 as the host, but need some work on their 5-15 road record.

The Sixers have scored 100-plus points in three of the past five games (102.4 ppg) after doing so once in nine games prior (88.8 ppg). They are 9-6 when scoring 100 or more points this season.