RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- In a game in which the New Jersey
Nets didn't come to play, Jerry Stackhouse and rest of the Detroit
Pistons did.
Stackhouse scored 29 points and Eric Montross stunned his former
teammates with season-highs of 13 points and 11 rebounds as the
Pistons broke a four-game losing streak by beating the Nets 108-94
Thursday night.
Chucky Atkins added a career-high 26 points, his second
career-best in as many nights, as the Pistons never trailed and won
for the first time since opening night.
The big difference was the effort level of the teams, both of
which were on the second night of back-to-back games.
"We came in with a lot of energy," said Stackhouse. "It
carried over from the second half of last night's game when we
played well. They're a dangerous team and we knew they would make a
run but they looked tired. We felt if we could sustain that energy
we could win."
Nets rookie coach Byron Scott was furious after seeing his team
lose at home for the third time in as many games.
"We just got our butts kicked," he said. "We played
(terrible) from the beginning to the end. We did not compete. We
stunk. We did not come with it tonight for whatever reason."
Stephon Marbury had 32 points for the Nets, who really didn't
have a way to stop Stackhouse since Kendall Gill was sidelined with
tendinitis in his right knee. Stephen Jackson added 15.
Atkins, Montross and Stackhouse did the most damage in the third
quarter when the Pistons turned an eight-point lead into a 14-point
bulge.
Atkins scored 12 points in the early part of the quarter when
New Jersey made its one run, closing within two points three times,
the last on a jumper by Aaron Williams with 5:37 to play.
Montross then stepped up. He blocked a shot inside by Williams
and within the next minute tipped a missed 3-pointer by Atkins back
to him. Atkins then squared up and hit the 3-pointer for a 65-60
lead.
After two free throws by Stackhouse and a basket by Nets rookie
Kenyon Martin, Stackhouse drove the lane to set up Montross for a
big dunk that turned into a three-point play.
"We played well defensively, got rebounds and got out and
ran," Montross said. "When we do that, we can be an effective
team."
Stackhouse, who missed a breakaway dunk in the fourth quarter,
added eight points in the final 3:22 of the period to give Detroit
an 84-70 lead.
New Jersey never got closer than nine points the rest of the
way.
Detroit took control from the start, scoring the first 11 points
en route to a 21-6 lead. Stackhouse had seven points in the run
while the Nets self-destructed with 2-of-13 shooting and three
turnovers.
Game
notes
Pistons rookie Mateen Cleaves got no respect from the
officials in the first half, picking up three fouls in three
minutes. ... Nets guard Lucious Harris made his first appearance of
the season after missing the first four games following hernia
surgery. ... Pistons forward Jud Buechler got a rare turnover for
stepping on the end line while inbounding the ball after a Nets
basket. ... Gill played in Washington on Wednesday but actually
hurt his knee in practice on Tuesday...Marbury struggled from the
foul line, hitting 3 of 9. The Nets finished 10 of 17, or 59
percent.
|
|
NBA Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 102
Charlotte 94
Detroit 108
New Jersey 94
Philadelphia 84
Minnesota 82
Chicago 95
Orlando 90
Houston 85
Vancouver 78
Phoenix 88
Atlanta 79
Portland 107
Denver 91
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jerry Stackhouse hits the jumper in the key.
avi: 410 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
|
