Pistons clobber Clippers
3/3/2008LOS ANGELES - The Detroit Pistons didn't miss Chauncey Billups one bit.
Tayshaun Prince had 22 points and 10 assists, and the Pistons got 41 points from their reserves to beat the Clippers 103-73 last night for their 11th straight victory against Los Angeles.
"When we have a good player out, especially one of our main guys, I think it's important that we depend on each other," Prince said. "It gives me more of an opportunity to play more a 'point-forward,' especially when Chauncey's out. I just tried to see over the defense and make plays."
Billups was back in Detroit taking care of a personal matter. His absence ended a streak of 276 straight games in which Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Prince and Richard Hamilton had started together.
Since the 1991-92 season, only one foursome had started more consecutive games together - Indiana's Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Rik Smits and Dale Davis.
Rookie Rodney Stuckey made his first NBA start in place of Billups. Stuckey, the 15th overall draft pick, had nine points and two assists in 25 minutes as his stepparents joined a sellout crowd of 19,271 that was loaded with Pistons fans.
Newly acquired Juan Dixon played 23 minutes and finished with 14 points, making six of seven shots for Detroit. He had only one practice with his new teammates after being acquired from Toronto on Thursday.
"The guys made me feel so comfortable and they communicated with me," Dixon said. "Tayshaun was really helpful, helping me through the offensive sets so I could get the ball in the right position and getting the guys the ball in the right spots."
Wallace added 17 points, making his first seven shots and helping the Pistons win for the 14th time in 17 games. They shot 54.3 percent and had 28 assists, improving to 16-0 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field and 23-0 when finishing with 25 or more assists.
Corey Maggette scored 22 points for the Clippers, who dropped their fifth straight and shot 34.8 percent against a defense that came in allowing a league-low 90.5 points.