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Game 43 - Nets vs. Pistons, Friday, January 21, 7:00

On Friday, the Nets will be facing a player they thought they'd be acquiring in the three-team deal that fell apart on Wednesday ...or will they? Richard Hamilton has had five straight DNP-CD's over the last week, the only five of his career. The cover story was that Coach John Kuester made changes to the rotation.  The real story, everyone suspected was that Hamilton, like Troy Murphy, was being kept out of games because they were going to be traded for each other.

Now, the question is whether Hamilton will be back in the rotation.  Benching him has proven unpopular both in the locker room and the stands.  Expect him back?  Yes, but it will be embarrassing for the Pistons brass to explain.  Detroit has only four more wins than the Nets and are a miserable 4-18 on the road. 

For the Nets, it's a chance to win back-to-backs and justify Mikhail Prokhorov's contention that they had lost games because of the distraction of the trade talks.  One player who wasn't included in the talks is having a particularly strong string of games.  Sasha Vujacic is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 49.2% over the last six games off the bench.  A player  who was included, Anthony Morrow, will return from injury. Vujacic and Morrow have never played together.  Also back from surgery: Jac-of-All-Nets, Jaclyn Sabol. Welcome back, Jac.