• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Sixers hope to climb to .500 vs. Pistons

Feb 25, 2011 - 4:17 PM (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia 76ers will try to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season tonight, when they host the Detroit Pistons from Wells Fargo Center.

The 76ers are 28-29 on the season -- one more victory than they had in all of 2009-10 -- and are coming off Wednesday's 117-94 blowout of the Washington Wizards in the City of Brotherly Love. Jrue Holiday had 20 points, Thaddeus Young compiled 18 points and 10 rebounds and rookie Evan Turner scored 15 points for Philadelphia, which has won two straight and 11 of 15 games.

"Anytime we become a .500 team or above, it says a lot about where we came from or what we came through," Young said. "We've had a lot of obstacles and a lot of different things in front of us, and we all took the steps to get here. Now, we are on one path of trying to get to the playoffs."

Elton Brand and Marreese Speights netted 15 and 14 points, respectively, in a winning effort. The Sixers are 18-9 in south Philly this season. They started the season 1-4 at home, but have gone 17-5 since.

Philadelphia is currently seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, just two games behind New York for the sixth seed. Indiana is only 1 1/2 games off the final postseason spot in the conference.

Meanwhile, the Pistons will close out a quick two-game road trip Friday night and opened the swing with Wednesday's 102-101 loss in Indiana on Brandon Rush's go-ahead basket with 5.4 seconds remaining in the game.

Greg Monroe contributed 27 points and 12 boards, while Rodney Stuckey added 21 points for the Pistons, losers in five of the past six games. Veteran Tracy McGrady ended with 16 points and 12 assists in a losing cause.

"It felt good to be in a game like that, but I'd rather come out with a win," Monroe said. "We have to play the whole game like we did in the fourth quarter and we might have a different outcome."

The Pistons are just 7-22 away from The Palace of Auburn Hills. On the injury front, guard Richard Hamilton (groin) and forward Tayshaun Prince (back) are both questionable for tonight's game. Prince had no points in less than 10 minutes of action against Indiana.

Detroit won the first meeting with Philadelphia by a 112-109 score in overtime on Jan. 8 at The Palace. Austin Daye hit the tying three-point shot in the waning seconds of regulation in that one and Prince scored 23 points. The Pistons have won five of the last seven matchups with the 76ers.

The Pistons are 11-5 in their last 16 visits to south Philly.