The Pistons (19-7) will host the Rockets (13-4) at the Palace tonight at 6 pm est. The game can be viewed locally on Fox Sports Detroit.

Rockets’ Snapshot
Road record: 7-9
Last game: 12/22 (Sat) W 116-98 @ Bulls
Last 10: 4-6
Injuries: Steve Francis (flu-like symptoms) Tracy McGrady (bruised left knee)

The Rockets played last night beating the woeful Bulls in Chicago. McGrady returned after missing a game with a sore left knee. T-Mac scored 20 points and dished out 8 assists. McGrady was among 7 Rockets to score in double figures. Yao Ming jammed his thumb in the 3rd period. X-rays were negative and he returned for the fourth quarter. Yao ended up with 18 points and 8 boards. (btw - the Bulls center, some guy named Wallace, scored 0 points on 0/4 shooting and had 5 boards)

“We are going to bust their butts next time, they aren’t going to have Dick (Bavetta, referee) and those cats to help them.”

Those were Rasheed Wallace’s sentiments after the Pistons Dec. 12th meeting with the Rockets, a game in which Wallace was unhappy with the amount of “ticky-tack” fouls being called. Wallace fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter. That particular game was hard to watch from both ends. The Rockets at one point in the game were 1/15 from the free throw line. They ended up with an unheard of 27% from charity stripe for the game, and the Pistons weren’t so hot themselves only hitting on 59% of their freebies. The Pistons shot 36% from the field with their backcourt of Billups and Hamilton going 12/32. Despite the poor shooting the end was pretty exciting. The Pistons were down by 8 with 1:22 to go when they hit on back-to-back three pointers to get within 2. They then got two good looks at three pointers to win after Houston failed to convert on their offensive end but the shots just didn’t fall.

Playing the Rockets also gives me an excuse to post Def Leppard’s “Rocket” video. No, I’m not pulling for Houston, it’s just a kick ass song. Enjoy & Go Pistons!