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The Detroit Pistons‘ playoff chances seem to get worse each day despite the fact Detroit currently is No. 7 in the East. But they are just a game ahead of Chicago and have lost two games in a row and seven of 10.

And the Pistons won’t be getting any healthier on Thursday night against a Laker team still motivated to get the NBA’s best record. Three of the team’s top four scorers have been out indefinitely.

Already missing Iverson, the team won five of six games when Hamilton was returned to the starting lineup. But Wallace left the lineup eight games ago with his injury and Hamilton followed six games ago.

The Pistons have gone into a tailspin, losing five of six. They are depending on backups Will Bynum and Arron Afflalo for offense, and it’s hard to create good scoring opportunities without the veterans. Iverson (sore back) appears to be the one whose return is most uncertain, while at least Wallace (left calf strain) and Hamilton (groin) both seem close to coming back, possibly as early as this weekend.

Thus the Pistons are 8-point underdogs tonight on WagerWeb.com.



“We really need those guys back,” said Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince, averaging 18.7 points but shooting 43.1 percent over his last nine games. “But at the same time, while they’re not here, we’ve got to figure out a way in the situation we have. We almost have to play perfect basketball to come out with a win.”

Detroit is 13-25 since a season-high seven-game winning streak from Dec. 23-Jan. 4.

The Lakers are 2-0 on their current seven-game road trip and trail the Cavaliers by just a game-and-a-half for the league’s best record. But the Pistons have won six straight over the Lakers at The Palace, nine straight counting the 2004 NBA Finals. In their last six trips to Detroit, the normally high-scoring Lakers have averaged 88.6 points. The Pistons beat the Lakers, 106-95, on Nov. 14 behind 25 points and 13 rebounds from Wallace.

Kobe Bryant has played in eight of those losses in Detroit, averaging 23.9 points but shooting 37.7 percent from the field.

A victory tonight over the Pistons coupled with a win Friday over the New Jersey Nets would clinch the Western Conference top seed for the Lakers. If they are to meet Coach Phil Jackson’s goal of reaching 60 victories by the end of their trip, they must win four of their last five games.

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WagerWeb.com Trends

# Lakers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.

# Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.

# Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite of 5.0-10.5.

# Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.

•    Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

•    Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

•    Lakers are 4-12-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.

•    Lakers are 2-7 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Detroit.

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