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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – The Detroit Pistons built a huge
lead, watched it collapse, then did just enough to hold on for a
win.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 32 points as Detroit beat New York 90-85
Wednesday night, surviving a fourth-quarter rally by the Knicks.
The Pistons led by as much as 23 and entered the fourth quarter
with a 77-58 lead only to see it almost disappear.
New York got back into the game with a 16-4 run to open the
final quarter. The Knicks cut their deficit to 81-74 with 5:37 left
and 87-85 with 24.3 seconds left, but they could not get closer in
a game they never led.
Detroit was coming off a loss at home to the Los Angeles
Clippers.
"Does this team drive me a little crazy? Yeah," Detroit coach
George Irvine said.
Detroit's Joe Smith scored 20 points and Chucky Atkins added 16.
The Pistons blocked a season-high 12 shots.
Stackhouse was not surprised that the Pistons allowed New York
to make the game interesting.
"It's just a natural reaction when you're up 20," Stackhouse
said. "But when we needed to make plays and get stops defensively
we were able to."
New York's Marcus Camby had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Glen Rice
scored 16 and Kurt Thomas added 12 for the Knicks, who have lost
five consecutive road games.
The Knicks outscored Detroit 27-13 in the final quarter.
"That was desperation, and desperation doesn't mean very much
if it doesn't get you over the hump," New York coach Jeff Van
Gundy said.
New York's Allan Houston and Larry Johnson picked up their fifth
fouls early in the third quarter. Houston, who fouled out with 22.4
seconds left, finished with eight points while Johnson missed all
five of his attempts and did not score.
"That's always nice to get main players out of the game,"
Irvine said. "Larry was struggling the whole game. But Allan
always worries me, so it was good to get him in some foul
trouble."
The Pistons led 20-15 after the first quarter and 45-37 at
halftime. Both teams missed 20 of their first 27 shots in the first
half.
Detroit went on a 9-0 run early in the third to take a 56-41
lead. It outscored New York 10-1 later in the quarter and led
75-52, its largest lead of the game.
"We kind of let them back into the game," Irvine said. "But I
was pleased with our composure down the stretch. ... When you beat
New York you've done a good job."
Van Gundy hopes his players were not distracted by the NBA's
trading deadline, which is 6 p.m. Thursday.
"Guys who are easily distracted are going to find something to
be distracted about," he said. "If it isn't the trading deadline,
it is life at home or life on the road or something else."
Game notes
Detroit's Mateen Cleaves, who missed one game, returned to
the team for the first time since his brother Herbert Cleaves was
killed Sunday in a drive-by shooting in Flint, Mich. Van Gundy
sought him out in the Detroit locker room after the game to offer
condolences. Cleaves said, "Half of the NBA has called to give me
support.".. New York will play its next four games at home where
it has won three in a row.
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New York Clubhouse
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Philadelphia 107
Vancouver 91
LA Clippers 100
Cleveland 94
Detroit 90
New York 85
Phoenix 100
Miami 85
New Jersey 113
Toronto 111
Houston 89
Minnesota 83
LA Lakers 101
San Antonio 99
Seattle 127
Denver 98
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