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Tuesday, Dec. 7 8:00pm ET
Pistons overcome horrid first half | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- After a horrible first half, the Detroit Pistons responded with their highest scoring half of the season. Grant Hill scored 31 points and the Pistons overcame a 16-point halftime deficit with a 70-point second half to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 116-112 Tuesday night. Trailing 62-46 at halftime, the Pistons outscored the Bucks 70-50 in the second half. "We executed well and made the shots," said Hill, who is averaging 32.5 points in his last four games. "We were a different team out there in the fourth" quarter. Hill added 12 assists as the Pistons won for only the second time in their last six games. Pistons coach Alvin Gentry challenged his team at halftime. "We can go back out there and go through the motions and lose by 25," he said, "or we can lock in and defend and make them make shots." Jerry Stackhouse added 26 points for Detroit, including four points in the final 37 seconds. Glenn Robinson, who signed a one-year, $12 million extension on Monday, had 30 points for the Bucks. Ray Allen added 21 points, and Sam Cassell had 17 points and 12 assists for Milwaukee, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Bucks from losing for the fourth time in their last five home games. Robinson went to the bench late in the third with the Bucks holding a 84-72 lead. Lindsey Hunter and Terry Mills then hit 3-pointers as Detroit closed within four points heading into the final period. When Robinson returned with 8:45 left in the fourth, the Pistons had already surged ahead. Reserve Jerome Williams scored four points, Mills hit one of Detroit's nine 3-pointers, and Hill converted a three-point play to help the Pistons take a 94-91 lead. "They got easy baskets," Cassell said. "You give a team easy baskets, and it's tough to win." The Pistons shot 36 percent in the first half, but went 26-of-38 from the field in the second half and finished at 53 percent. Robinson's jumper cut Detroit's lead to 114-112 with 29.3 seconds left, but then Detroit milked the shot clock before Stackhouse hit a tough baseline shot to clinch the game with 4.2 seconds remaining. Game notesScott Williams scored a season-high 17 points for the Bucks before fouling out. ... Detroit's previous high point total in a half this season was 63 against the Bucks in November. ... Milwaukee's Dale Ellis had the flu and did not attend the game. ... The Bucks held a 16-5 rebounding edge in the first quarter. ... Milwaukee forward Robert Traylor was benched for the third straight game. ... The Pistons shot 68 percent from the field in the third quarter. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Detroit Clubhouse Milwaukee Clubhouse RECAPS Toronto 101 Cleveland 98
Detroit 116
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