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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Detroit was done in by two familiar
faces.
|  | | Jerry Stackhouse was 13 of 18 from the field and fought through double teams for 41 points. |
Bonzi Wells had a season-high 28 points and a career-high 14
rebounds, and Steve Smith added 21 points as the Portland Trail
Blazers beat the Pistons 103-96 Sunday night, Detroit's fifth
straight loss.
Wells was drafted by Detroit in 1998, then traded to Portland
before training camp that year for a first-round pick. Smith is a
Detroit native who starred in college at Michigan State.
"Thanks Detroit. We thank you all for giving him to us,"
Portland point guard Damon Stoudamire said of Wells.
"That could've been your No. 2 scorer."
The Trail Blazers won a day after their 10-game winning streak
ended in a 91-78 defeat at New York.
The Pistons have lost eight of their last nine.
Detroit's Jerry Stackhouse scored 41 points on 13-of-18 shooting
and moved past the Lakers' Kobe Bryant for the league scoring lead
with a 29.8 average. Bryant, whose team was off Sunday, is at 29.6.
"Right now, I think I need to stay as a stabilizing force, but
I'm really caught in between," Stackhouse said. "I hate this."
Wells hurt the Pistons with an array of perimeter shots along
with layups and dunks. He was 12-of-14 overall on field goals and
2-for-2 on 3-pointers, while adding three steals, two assists and a
blocked shot.
But he said he had no particular desire to show up the Pistons.
"I never even suited up for that team," Wells said. "I just
come out and try to play hard regardless of who we're playing."
Stackhouse wasn't quite buying that.
"Guys always play well when they play against teams that trade
them," Stackhouse said. "I think that was the case tonight."
Smith's high school, Detroit Pershing, is about 45 miles south
of the Pistons' home court, while Michigan State is about 75 miles
west.
"I love coming back here because this will always be home," he
said. "A lot of friends and family got to come out and see me
play, which is always nice."
Rasheed Wallace added 16 for Portland, which was winding up a
five-game road trip on which it went 4-1.
"It was a nice way for us to end a road trip," Portland coach
Mike Dunleavy said. "When you get to the fourth game in five
nights, you get worn down."
Joe Smith scored 18, and Dana Barros 11 for the Pistons.
Detroit committed 23 turnovers and allowed Portland to score 19
second-chance points.
"I thought we competed hard, but for us to beat Portland, we
have to play hard and play well," Detroit coach George Irvine
said. "We can't turn the ball over that many times or give them
that many second shots. They're just too good. You look at tonight
and we did a pretty good job against Damon and a pretty good job on
their big guys -- then Bonzi Wells jumps up with 28 points and 14
rebounds."
Game notes
Scottie Pippen missed his fourth straight game with right
elbow tendinitis. ... Detroit has not led in the second half during
their losing streak. ... Forward Jud Buechler replaced Michael
Curry in Detroit's starting lineup and scored three points. ...
Portland, which leads the NBA with 28 victories, plays its next
three games at home.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 107
Charlotte 99
Portland 103
Detroit 96
Miami 90
Chicago 81
Seattle 106
Phoenix 87
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Jerry Stackhouse Official Site
Mike Dunleavy Official Site
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