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It's tough to say Detroit's 105-78 loss at the Miami Heat Oct. 18 was a step in the right direction.
With veteran forward Corey Maggette suffering a calf strain in the second quarter, not long after Detroit (2-3) finished a dismal first quarter where it shot 19 percent from the floor, the Pistons rallied over the second half to keep things even with the Heat.
Maggette is listed as day-to-day.
The question heading into Saturday's preseason game against Charlotte (1-3) is how much better will they look at home as opposed to the road, where they've lost three straight this preseason?
The Pistons are struggling to score points so far this preseason, averaging just 91.4 points a game (26th in the NBA). Their 26.1 percent rate from three-point range isn't helping things, either.
Adjusting to the development of rookie forward Andre Drummond is going to be a challenge this season, and Drummond has a chance to continue working toward his high ceiling. He had nine points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes against Miami, but also picked up five fouls, which is expected for the 19-year-old rookie from Connecticut.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at the Palace at Auburn Hills.