By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Senior Writer

Detroit (1-2) at Toronto (1-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

A week into the season, the Detroit Pistons are already trying
their best to overcome injuries.

Likely short-handed again, the visiting Pistons try for a second
consecutive victory and fifth straight over the Toronto Raptors
on Wednesday night.

With Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince both sidelined, Ben
Gordon scored 23 points while Rodney Stuckey and reserve Will
Bynum each added 20 as Detroit (2-2) avoided a third straight
loss with an 85-80 home win over Orlando on Tuesday.

The victory was the Pistons' first in three games without
Hamilton, who scored 25 points in a 96-74 season-opening win
over Memphis and could miss this contest with an ankle injury.

Prince, who totaled 37 points in the first three games, will
miss at least two more with a back injury. By sitting out
Tuesday's contest, Prince's consecutive-games streak ended at
496. It was the second-longest active streak behind Andre
Miller's, and Prince's run of 439 straight starts was the
longest in the league.

Hamilton and Prince had never missed the same game in their
seven-plus seasons as teammates.

Though Detroit shot 37.5 percent - including 0 for 6 from
3-point range - and failed to top 85 points for a third straight
contest Tuesday, it gained confidence by playing well enough to
win without a pair of key performers.

"A victory like this is sweet - there's no question about it,"
rookie Pistons coach John Kuester said. "You always miss guys
who play such an intricate part of what you do, but it is great
to see other guys step up."

The Pistons held Orlando to 36.7 percent shooting and benefited
from a poor night by Magic star Dwight Howard, who was held to
eight points and five rebounds in 16 minutes before fouling out.

Gordon is averaging 24.0 points in his first season with the
Pistons. Chicago's leading scorer the past four seasons, Gordon
has scored 60 points in his last two games against the Raptors.

The Pistons have won seven of the last eight against the Raptors
and consecutive games in Toronto. The Raptors last beat Detroit
89-82 at home on March 26, 2008.

The Raptors (1-2) look to avoid a third straight loss after
falling 125-116 to Orlando on Sunday.

Chris Bosh scored 35 points and added 16 rebounds for Toronto,
which despite shooting 54.1 percent couldn't prevent the Magic
from making 17 3-pointers - the most ever by a Toronto opponent.

Andrea Bargnani added 26 points and Hedo Turkoglu had 19 against
his former team, but Toronto trailed by as many 22 points
against the reigning Eastern Conference champions.

"We have to learn from these games, especially being a young
team," Turkoglu told the Raptors' official Web site.

Though the Raptors are allowing 110.3 points per game, they're
playing well on the offensive end thanks to Bosh, who's
averaging 31.0 points per contest.

Also pulling down 14.7 boards per game, Bosh is averaging 23.1
points and 10.1 rebounds in his last seven contests versus
Detroit.

Turkoglu is averaging 15.0 points and shooting 50.0 percent in
his first three games with Toronto, but he's been held to 12.7
points and 42.0 percent shooting in 22 career contests against
the Pistons.