Pistons pull away to beat Nets 116-109
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Richard Hamilton scored 25 points and Rodney Stuckey added 22 to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 116-109 win over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.
Brook Lopez scored a career-high 39 points for New Jersey, which was without star Deron Williams. The point guard was out with an injured right wrist. Lopez nearly made up for his absence, but the Nets settled for outside shots against Detroit's zone defense late in the game.
Stuckey played well in his return after being benched for two games by Detroit coach John Kuester. Stuckey had eight points for the Pistons during one fourth-quarter stretch, helping them take a 110-102 advantage.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Greg Monroe had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit.
The Pistons led 89-88 after three quarters, but Lopez scored seven of New Jersey's first nine points of the fourth to give the Nets a 97-95 lead. He didn't score again after that, and the Pistons went on a decisive 15-5 run.
That stretch began somewhat ominously for Detroit. After Stuckey scored to tie the game at 97, Lopez drew a foul against a double team by the Pistons, and Chris Wilcox was immediately called for a technical foul. Wilcox fouled out during the sequence, which came with 9:07 remaining, but after that, Detroit finally stopped allowing Lopez to catch the ball in position to score near the basket.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ben Gordon made a breakaway layup to put the Pistons ahead 99-98, and Austin Daye added a three-point play on a putback.
Dan Gadzuric made a free throw at the other end for the Nets, but Stuckey scored again to push the lead to five. After a 3-pointer by New Jersey's Jordan Farmar, Stuckey made four free throws and a shot from near the top of the key to make it an eight-point game.
The Pistons won their 27th game of the season, matching last season's total.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Williams had 21 assists and made a jumper in the final seconds to help New Jersey beat Minnesota 107-105 Tuesday night, but he said after that game he was planning to see a hand and wrist specialist. It's not clear if he'll play again this season.
The team lists his injury as a strained tendon.
The Nets were also without guard Anthony Morrow, who was out with tendinitis in his left knee, and forward Kris Humphries, who had a sprained right ankle and bruised heel. Detroit's Ben Wallace was out with a sore right knee.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Notes: Stuckey didn't start but entered with 3:58 remaining in the first quarter. ... The Nets used their 23rd different starting lineup of the season. The Pistons have used 22. ... The Pistons made buzzer-beating shots at the end of the second and third quarters — the first a dunk by Monroe and the second a 3-pointer by Daye.