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04-10-2006, 12:15 AM
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/basketball/nba/04/09/pistons.pacers.ap/Pistons.jpg
Ben Wallace and the Pistons improved to 62-15 this year, while handing Danny Granger and the Pacers a seventh loss in eight games.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Tayshaun Prince scored all 17 of his points in the second half to lead six double-digit scorers for the Detroit Pistons in a 98-73 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Detroit (62-15) is a victory away from matching its franchise record for wins and barring a late slide, will likely finish with the NBA's best record.
The Pistons, who already have home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs, improved to 35-3 at The Palace.
Both teams appeared lethargic for most of the game and while Detroit wasn't playing for much on this particular afternoon, the Pacers were.
Indiana has lost seven of eight to fall a season-worst four-games under .500 and is in danger of not making the playoffs after starting the season as a title contender.
The Pacers started strong and didn't trail until late in the first quarter. But after Detroit went ahead 13 seconds into the second quarter, it maintained the advantage for the rest of the game.
The Pistons led 45-35 at halftime and had 20-point plus leads in the third quarter, allowing them to coast the victory.
Detroit's Lindsey Hunter (14), Tony Delk (11) and Antonio McDyess (10) provided a scoring boost off the bench. Richard Hamilton scored 12 and Chauncey Billups had 11 points and five assists scoring. Ben Wallace tied a season high with 22 rebounds.
Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting, Jermaine O'Neal had 12 and Peja Stojakovic added 11.
The Pistons clearly made an effort to get Ben Wallace involved offensively -- throwing him three alley-oop lobs in the first 51/2 minutes -- after he told coach Flip Saunders he didn't want to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter of the previous game.
Wallace was reluctant to talk about what happened Friday at Orlando, other than saying he didn't regret what he did, and Saunders said the two talked about what happened after the Magic game and downplayed it while talking to reporters Sunday morning.
Notes: Indiana's Jamaal Tinsley (right ankle) and David Harrison (left knee) didn't play. ... Detroit won the season series 3-1. ... The Pistons, who were coming off a loss, have dropped consecutive games only once this season. ... The Pacers have played a team-record 31 lineups this season while Detroit had the same lineup for an NBA-record 73 games until the streak was snapped by Rasheed Wallace's one-game suspension last Tuesday. ... Prince was 0-for-6 in the first half and made all nine of his shots after halftime. ... Kelvin Cato scored two points in his Pistons debut.
Associated Press
Ben Wallace and the Pistons improved to 62-15 this year, while handing Danny Granger and the Pacers a seventh loss in eight games.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Tayshaun Prince scored all 17 of his points in the second half to lead six double-digit scorers for the Detroit Pistons in a 98-73 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Detroit (62-15) is a victory away from matching its franchise record for wins and barring a late slide, will likely finish with the NBA's best record.
The Pistons, who already have home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs, improved to 35-3 at The Palace.
Both teams appeared lethargic for most of the game and while Detroit wasn't playing for much on this particular afternoon, the Pacers were.
Indiana has lost seven of eight to fall a season-worst four-games under .500 and is in danger of not making the playoffs after starting the season as a title contender.
The Pacers started strong and didn't trail until late in the first quarter. But after Detroit went ahead 13 seconds into the second quarter, it maintained the advantage for the rest of the game.
The Pistons led 45-35 at halftime and had 20-point plus leads in the third quarter, allowing them to coast the victory.
Detroit's Lindsey Hunter (14), Tony Delk (11) and Antonio McDyess (10) provided a scoring boost off the bench. Richard Hamilton scored 12 and Chauncey Billups had 11 points and five assists scoring. Ben Wallace tied a season high with 22 rebounds.
Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting, Jermaine O'Neal had 12 and Peja Stojakovic added 11.
The Pistons clearly made an effort to get Ben Wallace involved offensively -- throwing him three alley-oop lobs in the first 51/2 minutes -- after he told coach Flip Saunders he didn't want to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter of the previous game.
Wallace was reluctant to talk about what happened Friday at Orlando, other than saying he didn't regret what he did, and Saunders said the two talked about what happened after the Magic game and downplayed it while talking to reporters Sunday morning.
Notes: Indiana's Jamaal Tinsley (right ankle) and David Harrison (left knee) didn't play. ... Detroit won the season series 3-1. ... The Pistons, who were coming off a loss, have dropped consecutive games only once this season. ... The Pacers have played a team-record 31 lineups this season while Detroit had the same lineup for an NBA-record 73 games until the streak was snapped by Rasheed Wallace's one-game suspension last Tuesday. ... Prince was 0-for-6 in the first half and made all nine of his shots after halftime. ... Kelvin Cato scored two points in his Pistons debut.
Associated Press