Based on their 10-4 mark away from Izod Center, the Nets have gotten that message. If they were at least that good at home, Frank's scrambling young team might be the darlings of the NBA instead of a nondescript club fighting to play at the .500 level.

"No, I don't know why there's a difference," Devin Harris said of a Nets team that has lost 12 of its 17 home games. "I don't know."

The Nets (15-16) are tied with Cleveland for the league's third-best road record, and Frank's kings of the road play the Pistons at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., this afternoon, where Detroit is 10-5 this year.

Just being in the presence of the Pistons, Harris is sure to conjure the memory of his breakout performance from Nov. 7 ? a 103-96 Nets' win at Izod Center.

That was Allen Iverson's debut with the Pistons, but it was Harris' show. The Nets' guard scored 38 points that night, 32 in the second half to help erase a 14-point deficit, and he didn't downplay the significance of that performance nearly two months later.

"[It was] a level of aggressiveness, being in that attack mode at all times and taking that position of penetrating and getting to the lane," Harris said of the things he took from that November evening.

Today, the Nets will encounter a somewhat different look from Detroit. Iverson is now at shooting guard instead of the point, but some things never change.

"We expect the game to be physical," Harris said. "I don't expect to get in the lane as easy as I have in the past, but we'll see what happens."

There's also a bit of intrigue as to Frank's rotation, following the Nets' 13-point home loss to Chicago on Monday.

"I think you're always thinking of things, there's no doubt," Frank said. "Definitely, you're thinking about maybe a rotation tweak, potentially, but I haven't made any firm decisions."

Keyon Dooling (sore hip) was not able to practice Tuesday, and Frank wasn't sure if the guard would be able to play against Detroit.

If he were to make some alterations, Frank said it wouldn't be related solely to the Nets' recent defensive lapses.

"I think it's just related to overall play," Frank said. "If we're not going to be very good individually, we have to become good team-wise and position-wise ? it's a little bit of a balancing act."

Nets at Pistons

Today: 3 o'clock

TV: YES Radio: WFAN-AM 660

Story line: The teams close out 2008 with the Nets going for a fourth straight road victory and Detroit looking to extend its winning streak to five. The Pistons are allowing 86 points per game during their streak, and won the past two without Richard Hamilton (groin injury).