Nets notes

DETROIT — The Nets played Wednesday’s season opener in Detroit, a 103-100 loss, without DeMarre Carroll, Allen Crabbe and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. After not being able to buy a shot when they needed it, Crabbe and Hollis-Jefferson can’t get back soon enough.

The Nets opted to go small to space the floor, starting aging stretch four Jared Dudley at power forward and keeping Ed Davis in a reserve role to spell center Jarrett Allen. But the Nets, who struggled all preseason from 3-point range, went just 5-of-27 from deep.

“You miss those guys no doubt about it. But we had good looks,” said coach Kenny Atkinson, who seems intent on using Davis and Allen separately instead of in tandem.

“Yeah, we had to alternate those guys. Quite honestly playing those guys together offensively is tough, there won’t be a lot of space out there.”

Davis had eight points and seven rebounds in his 17:36 minutes, finishing a team-high plus 8. Meanwhile, Piston starters Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin combined for 50 points and 28 rebounds.

“We just need all five coming back to rebound. That’s where we struggled. I can’t be the only one rebounding down there,” Allen said. “But I still need to take responsibility myself for it.”

Carroll is out indefinitely after arthroscopy on his right ankle Tuesday. Crabbe is sidelined with an ankle injury of his own and Hollis-Jefferson was held out of the opener. The Nets hope Hollis-Jefferson can play in Friday’s home opener versus the Knicks, and think Crabbe has a shot to play as well.

Caris LeVert had a game-high 27 points, four assists and four boards.

D’Angelo Russell didn’t pay in the fourth, with Dinwiddie and LeVert on fire.

“The other guys were playing great. Spencer was playing great, Caris was playing great,

Joe [ Harris] was playing great. We need two big guys in there,” Atkinson said.