Injury ends consecutive games streak for Pistons’ KCP
Auburn Hills — Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s run of 208 consecutive games played, the second-longest active streak behind Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson’s 336, came to an end Thursday.
Caldwell-Pope strained his right groin after slipping on a wet spot on the court with three minutes left in the first half of Wednesday’s 102-95 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden. He got up limping but had to be helped off the floor and into the locker room. He did not return.
“We’re waiting for the doctors to get here tonight to take a look at him,” coach Stan Van Gundy before the game against the Knicks. “He’s still sore but he’s walking and everything, so he’s OK.”
Later, the Pistons announced Caldwell-Pope has a core muscle strain and will be reevaluated after the All-Star break. There’s no timetable for how long he will be out.
With Caldwell-Pope unable to go, rookie Stanley Johnson slid into the starting lineup for the second time this season.
Johnson got his first start Jan. 9 against the Nets when forward Marcus Morris was a late scratch with left knee tendinitis. Rookie Darrun Hilliard will assume Johnson’s role off the bench.
“We’ll see from there how much deeper we’ll go,” Van Gundy said.
Caldwell-Pope’s malady is the latest in a string of injuries that have hit the Pistons.
■ Forward Ersan Ilyasova missed his first start last weekend against the Raptors with a groin injury.
■ Starting guard Reggie Jackson was dehydrated against the Raptors, the second of back-to-back games.
■ Guard Jodie Meeks encountered a setback Monday in his recovery from a broken right foot. The Pistons had hoped to have Meeks back before the All-Star break.