RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Jerry Stackhouse isn't the only
Detroit Piston who can score.
With the NBA's leading scorer home with the flu, 11 of his
teammates scored four points or more to give the Pistons a 103-93
win over Cleveland on Friday night.
"Everybody gave us a lift," Detroit coach George Irvine said.
"I can't think of anybody that didn't."
The Pistons (7-9) won back-to-back games for the first time this
season and handed the Cavaliers (9-6) their third straight loss.
"I'm sure Cleveland looked at our roster without Jerry and felt
confident," Detroit's Chucky Atkins said. "But we have a lot of
guys that can score, and that was especially important tonight."
The Pistons' three-guard rotation of Atkins, Dana Barros and
Mateen Cleaves led the balanced attack. Barros scored 16 points,
Cleaves had 15 points and six assists and Atkins also scored 15.
It was just Barros' second game of the year after missing the
start of the season with a lower-back sprain after being traded by
Dallas.
"I hit shots early and got confident," Barros said. "I'm
still trying to feel my way around here, so I just tried to give us
a spark."
When one of Detroit's guards penetrated, they found open
teammates on the perimeter. Jud Buecher, who started for
Stackhouse, benefited from the open looks by making 5-of-6 shots
and scoring a season-high 13 points.
"It's not like we had a whole lot of offensive scorers out
there, but we moved the ball well," Irvine said. "People don't
want to give them any credit, but they can score if you get them in
the right place with the ball."
Cleveland's five starters scored in double figures. Zydrunas
Ilgauskas led with 17, while Andre Miller scored 16 and Matt
Harpring added 15.
Cleveland coach Randy Wittman was not surprised at how Detroit
responded to the absence of Stackhouse.
"In a situation like this with a team missing a guy like
Stackhouse, they're going to be hungry, they're going to fight,"
Wittman said. "I give Detroit a lot of credit, those guys came out
and fought.
"I think we have to be more ready for them."
Detroit led for much of the game, but when the Cavaliers
threatened to take the game in the fourth period, a Cleaves-led
spurt ended their hopes. Cleaves made two perimeter shots, a layup
and a free throw in a three-minute span to put the game away.
"You don't expect him to make shots, but he hit them,"
Cleveland's Matt Harpring said. "When he's hitting shots like
that, he's real tough."
The Pistons made 56.4 percent of their shots while holding
Cleveland to 40.4 percent shooting.
"I think our defense won the game more than the fact that 11
guys scored," Detroit's Ben Wallace said.
The Cavaliers did however take advantage of their many missed
shots by converting 19 offensive rebounds into 16 points, which
prevented a rout.
Detroit's balanced attack began right away as nine Pistons
scored as the Pistons took a 28-24 lead after the first quarter.
Jerome Williams and Cleaves scored 10 points midway through the
second to help the Pistons lead 57-48 at halftime.
Cleveland sliced into a 16-point deficit with a 15-3 run in the
third, but Detroit entered the final quarter with a 79-75 lead.
Game notes
The Pistons held "Joe Smith Night" and provided $1
tickets for any fan with the names Joe or Smith, and 32 people,
ironically Smith's jersey number, took advantage of the offer.
Those fans also entered a drawing for a trip for two to Cancun,
Mexico. ... Atkins (ankle sprain) and Williams (flu) returned to
the lineup after missing a game. ... Cleveland remains in a tie for
first in the Central Division with Charlotte... Cleveland's Robert
Traylor, a Detroit native who played at Michigan, gave nearly 30
tickets to his friends and family. He played just seven minutes of
the second quarter, but scored nine points and grabbed five
rebounds... Detroit outscored Cleveland on the fastbreak 31-6.
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NBA Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 95
Charlotte 74
Toronto 104
LA Clippers 95
Minnesota 102
Boston 98
Utah 94
Miami 92
Orlando 83
New Jersey 80
Detroit 103
Cleveland 93
New York 91
Chicago 86
Indiana 86
Vancouver 76
LA Lakers 109
San Antonio 100
Sacramento 105
Phoenix 98
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