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Struggling Pistons continue road trip in Toronto

Jan 8, 2014 - 3:17 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Pistons are caught in a funk and will resume a three-game road trip Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.

The Pistons have dropped five in a row and three straight on the road, including Tuesday's 89-85 setback at New York in the opener of the trek.

J.R. Smith led the Pistons with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Greg Monroe ended with 19 points and Andre Drummond added 12 and 17 rebounds. The Pistons fell to 8-9 on the road, shot 37.2 percent and made just 3-of-19 3-pointers.

"It was a very good effort," said Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks. "(We) got down 17 and was able to fight back. We just didn't make any shots in the end to get over the hump. We played hard though."

Detroit will close the trek Friday at Philadelphia.

Toronto has lost two in a row since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2.

In Tuesday's 86-79 loss at Indiana, DeMar DeRozan led the way with 28 points and Patrick Patterson added 20 for the Raptors, who shot 37 percent for the game and received 16 points from Kyle Lowry.

"Down the stretch, you can't beat a team like that by trading baskets with them," said Patterson. "You have to get stops and we just couldn't do that."

The 79 points were a season low for the Raptors, who managed just 80 in a loss to Chicago on Nov. 15.

DeRozan has scored 20 or more points in six of his last seven games.

Toronto will open a three-game homestand Wednesday versus Detroit, Brooklyn and Milwaukee, and is 6-8 at Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors and Pistons split four meetings last season.