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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) -- On a night when blinding snow and howling winds
turned Cleveland's streets into a winter wonderland, it was fitting
that the "Alaskan Assassin" hardly missed.
Trajan Langdon made all six of his 3-pointers in the second half
and scored a career-high 31 points Tuesday night as the Cleveland
Cavaliers remained unbeaten at home with a 117-98 win over the
Detroit Pistons.
|  | | Trajan Langdon races past the Pistons' Jud Buechler (30) on his way to a career-high 31-point night for the Cavs. |
With a winter storm raging outside Gund Arena, Langdon, who
earned his "Assassin" nickname as a high school legend in
Anchorage, had by far his best game as a pro.
"It felt good," said Langdon, who played in just 10 games last
season before injuring his right knee and having surgery. "I got a
couple of open shots and once I got hot, everybody started looking
for me."
The second-year guard from Duke went 11-for-13 from the field
and made all four of his 3s in the third quarter.
"It's kind of amazing," he said before leaving the floor.
Andre Miller had 17 assists and Lamond Murray added 16 points
for the surprising first-place Cavs, who improved to 7-3 this
season and 5-0 at home.
With Langdon leading the way, Cleveland's bench scored 64 points
-- a season league-high for reserves..
"Well, that was a good way to put a cap on this day," said Cavs
coach Randy Wittman, who like everyone else had a tough time
getting to the game. "It was a bizarre day with the weather. We
had guys walk in right before we went on the court."
One of them was Langdon, who said he put his vehicle into
4-wheel drive to pull up on the curb and dodge traffic.
"It was bad, man," Langdon said.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 32 points on 9-of-30 shooting to lead
the Pistons, whose offense is anxiously awaiting the arrival of
free agent Joe Smith. Chucky Atkins had 16 points for Detroit,
which missed its first 11 shots of the fourth quarter.
Detroit went 8-for-23 in the fourth and shot just 39 percent
overall.
"We have to show more patience and jack up some Godforsaken
shot," said Pistons coach George Irvine.
Many wondered what the Cavs were thinking when they selected
Langdon with the 11th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft. Langdon
could shoot, but the rest of his game was limited, critics said.
"I've had doubters at every level," said Langdon, who didn't
play in the first four games this season. "I know that I can
compete and help this team out. I'm just proving it to myself, I
don't care what other people say."
Langdon's big night came nearly one year to the day after he got
hurt.
"It's kind of ironic that I had a game like that almost a year
from the date," Langdon said. "I thought about that yesterday."
After scoring 13 points in the third quarter, Langdon opened the
fourth with his fifth 3 to give the Cavs an 86-78 lead. The jumper
ignited a 16-0 run by the Cavs that put the Pistons away.
Detroit didn't score in the period until rookie Mateen Cleaves
made a free throw with 5:56 remaining.
Langdon wasn't done. He drained his sixth 3 -- from the top of
the key -- to make it 102-81, tying the arena record for 3s in a
game. Langdon's previous career-high was 12 points.
"He brought his game today," Cleaves said. "He hits shots
with guys' hands in his face. Once a guy in this league gets hots,
it's tough to stop him."
After scoring 13 points in the first quarter, Stackhouse sat for
the first eight minutes of the second quarter before re-entering
and scoring eight points in the final 3:06 to give the Pistons a
51-50 halftime lead.
Game notes
Miller's 17 assists tied the league-high this season. ...
Smith, who signed a one-year contract with the Pistons on Monday,
could join the team in time for Wednesday's practice, a team
spokesman said. Smith agreed to a $2.25 million deal for the rest
of the season. ... Cavs G Bimbo Coles sat out with an inflamed left
knee, and will likely be placed on the injured list. Wittman said
Michael Hawkins, cut during training camp, could be signed. ... It
took Wittman 2 hours, 15 minutes to make his normal 25-minute drive
downtown because of the storm. "At one point, I didn't think I was
going to make it," he said. Cavs F Lamond Murray and C Chris Mihm
arrived just 40 minutes before tipoff. ... The Cavs, 76ers and
Spurs are the only teams not to lose at home this season. ... The
Cavs have won 16 of 18 against the Pistons in Cleveland.
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Houston 101
Indiana 89
Portland 104
Washington 94
Cleveland 117
Detroit 98
Seattle 116
Dallas 110
New York 85
Orlando 84
Golden State 89
Chicago 77
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