Greg Monroe, Charlie Villanueva game-time decisions tonight vs. Knicks

Don't look now, Pistons fans but Greg Monroe and Charlie Villanueva might both miss tonight's tilt against the New York Knicks. No reasons have been given but both are listed as game-time decisions. That leaves Detroit painfully thin up front as the team is already without its best big man, Andre Drummond, who is still recovering from a back injury.

Head coach Lawrence Frank will also miss the game in order to deal with what the team is calling a personal family matter. Brian Hill will coach in his place.

I'd say this leaves the team even more vulnerable but it isn't like anything they've tried against the Knicks so far this season has worked. In the previous three match-ups between these two teams the Knicks have won all three and by an average of 16.7 points.

According to Vincent Goodwill if Greg Monroe can't go tonight Jonas Jerebko will enter the starting lineup alongside Jason Maxiell. If both Monroe and Villanueva are unavailable that leaves just Jerebko, Maxiell and Slava Kravtsov as healthy bodies in the front court.

Also expected to miss the game is Carmelo Anthony. If he doesn't play head coach Mike Woodson has said he will use Kurt Thomas in the starting lineup and keep Aamar'e Stoudemire as his primary reserve.