If the Nets are going to improve their franchise-record 14-game home winning streak to 15 Friday night against the Pistons, they will need to solve Detroit’s massive frontline of Josh Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond — something the Nets haven’t been able to do this season.
The Pistons have claimed three of their 27 wins against the Nets, sweeping thus far by pummeling Brooklyn inside with their oversized frontcourt trio.
While the expensive signing of Smith as a free agent from Atlanta has been largely, and understandably, seen as a bust because of the disastrous season in Detroit, it has worked against the Nets, with Smith, Monroe and Drummond combining to average 48 points and 32 rebounds across the three games of the series.
The Nets have struggled playing against big frontlines ever since switching to their smallball lineup featuring Paul Pierce at power forward at the start of 2014, as 11 of the team’s 13 losses since Jan. 1 have come against teams playing a traditional power forward-center combination.
Speaking of big men, Kevin Garnett’s return from back spasms appears to be drawing closer. After the Nets initially said Garnett would return against the Pistons on Friday, at Philadelphia on Saturday or in one of the games in Florida against the Heat and Magic next week, Nets general manager Billy King said on ESPNRadio Wednesday Garnett could be back this weekend.
When asked how his longtime friend and teammate was feeling after the loss to the Knicks, Paul Pierce spoke optimistically.
“He’s anxious [to play], man,” Pierce said. “You guys know Kevin. He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there.
“He’s doing a lot better, I know that. I don’t know. Wait and see. The most important thing is we want him to be 100 percent.”
Garnett has missed 18 straight games with back spasms, and hasn’t played since Feb. 27. He was set to play against the Raptors in Brooklyn on March 10, but was a late scratch after his back tightened in warmups. He hasn’t practiced with the team since.