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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – Charlotte's up-and-down season may be
heading in a positive direction just in time.
The Hornets beat the Detroit Pistons 99-90 Sunday night to win
their second straight after losing eight of 10.
"We needed these wins after the slump we were in," said
Charlotte reserve Eddie Robinson, who had 14 points and five
rebounds. "We really need to be rolling into the playoffs like we
know we can."
Jamal Mashburn scored 20 points. David Wesley added 17 points
while P.J. Brown and Baron Davis added 13 each.
The Hornets are a game behind Toronto for the fifth seed in the
playoffs and one game ahead of Orlando.
Charlotte is one of the more talented teams in the Eastern
Conference, but it doesn't always use its talent to the fullest.
It's all mental, Hornets coaches and players said.
Wesley was a little more specific.
"We need to play with intensity," he said. "We need to
concentrate and we need to stay focused."
Jerry Stackhouse scored 34 for the Pistons, who had their first
four-game winning streak of the season snapped. Corliss Williamson
scored 18 and Joe Smith added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Charlotte was in control for most of the game, but the Pistons
scored eight straight points to cut their lead to 88-84 with 5:37
left.
Mashburn responded with a layup on the ensuing possession, and
the Hornets were able to hold Detroit off in the final few minutes.
The Hornets will end the regular season against Atlanta on
Monday and at Boston on Wednesday.
Charlotte coach Paul Silas said there's no reason the Hornets
shouldn't go into the playoffs with a four-game winning streak,
which would help them reverse their recent skid.
"Losing begets losing and so does winning," Silas said.
"There's no substitute for a win. It changes your whole attitude
and you get on a roll winning. There's no reason why we can't
continue."
The Pistons close with games Tuesday at Toronto and Wednesday at
New York.
The Hornets, who led by as much as 18 in the third, saw Detroit
go on a 9-0 and cut its deficit to five. Charlotte led 79-70 after
three but had to continue holding off the Pistons.
"Keep in mind that Charlotte is playing for something important
and we aren't," Detroit coach George Irvine said. "But I'm proud
of our guys. They kept battling the whole way. It would have been
easy to pack it in."
Detroit appeared fatigued at times after winning in
double-overtime at Atlanta on Saturday night.
Ben Wallace continued to play with a relentless passion and
couldn't understand why his teammates didn't.
"I think we played without much energy," said Wallace, who had
13 rebounds, extending his double-digit rebound streak to 25 games.
"We got caught up in the whole back-to-back thing and expected to
be tired."
Game notes
Charlotte's Elden Campbell, who missed Friday and
Saturday's practices with back spasms, played 34 minutes and scored
eight points after averaging 22 points and 9.3 rebounds in three
previous games. ... Derrick Coleman scored seven points in 15
minutes after not playing in Thursday's win over New Jersey. ...
The teams split the season series, with all four wins coming on the
road. ... Detroit had a chance to win five straight games for the
first time in four seasons.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Charlotte Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 89
New York 82
Boston 95
New Jersey 88
Cleveland 106
Washington 98
Orlando 90
Miami 73
Indiana 93
Chicago 86
Minnesota 107
Utah 100
Phoenix 88
Sacramento 86
LA Lakers 105
Portland 100
Charlotte 99
Detroit 90
Dallas 107
Seattle 99
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jerry Stackhouse gets the steal and finishes with the hoop and harm.
avi: 641 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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