Perry A. Farrell

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Pistons might have two players wearing masks when the regular season starts next week.

Starting small forward Tobias Harris suffered a displaced nose fracture in Monday’s exhibition against Milwaukee. He’ll be fitted for a mask and didn’t practice today.

Backup center Aron Baynes suffered his broken nose in practice -- and he wasn’t happy, coach Stan Van Gundy said. It came from rookie Henry Ellenson, who was trying to clear out space for a lay-up.

(Watch out, Henry.)

Both Baynes and Harris were expected to see a specialist today.

"It’s not as bad as it could have been," Van Gundy said of Harris. "He did the noncontact part early in practice. He couldn’t do the contact part. He should be ready to go (Wednesday).’’

As far as Baynes, Van Gundy said: “He got hit in the nose early in practice. He didn’t come back. He got hit in the face inadvertently. Henry sort of cleared him out going for a lay-up on a fast-break drill. He was not happy. He got hit pretty good. It takes a lot for Aron to even go down or walk off for a repetition in practice. The fact that he didn’t come back meant he must have taken a pretty good shot.’’

For a tough guy like Baynes to go down at the elbow of a rookie …

“He hasn’t had the misfortune of running into Aron yet,’’ Van Gundy said of Ellenson. “I think Aron knows it wasn’t intentional. He’s pissed off that it happened. It wasn’t like Henry was throwing an elbow at him. Aron was doing a good job coming defensively, and it definitely was an offensive foul. ... I don’t think Aron’s going to harbor an ill will. I don’t think so.’’

Backup questions: The backups at shooting guard and point guard have yet to be determined, Van Gundy said.

A clear sub for shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hasn’t emerged because of injuries and experimenting by the coaching staff. The point guard situation is in flux because Reggie Jackson is out rehabbing his left knee. Ish Smith, brought in to be a backup, is now the starter.

“Those two spots, I’m not totally clear on right now, going into the season,’’ Van Gundy said. “I know what we’re doing at center, I know what we’re doing at the three and the four, primarily. It’s what are we doing at the one and the two off the bench?

“I think we have some guys that can play, according to needs.’’

Candidates for backup shooting guard are second-year Darrun Hilliard, who had flashes when called upon last year, second-year Stanley Johnson, who continues to work on his shooting, longshot rookie Michael Gbinije, who continues to impress in practices and games, and Reggie Bullock.

Unless the Pistons seek an answer outside the organization, Ray McCallum or Lorenzo Brown would be the backup point guard on opening night. Brown is expected to play in the exhibition finale against Toronto on Wednesday night.

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry. Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!

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