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Billups, Pistons outlast Timberwolves in double overtime

Jan 20, 2007 - 6:06 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Chauncey Billups isn't called "Mr. Big Shot" for nothing.

Billups scored 25 points, including a key 3-pointer, as the Detroit Pistons posted a 104-98 double-overtime triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just four days earlier, Minnesota came away with a thrilling 94-90 overtime victory in Detroit as Mark Blount's huge shot from the arc carried his club to the win.

In the first extra session Friday, the Pistons trailed, 91-88, before Billups sent the game into the another overtime with his 3-pointer from the top of the key over former Piston Mike James with three seconds left.

"We were looking to pop Chauncey out for the three," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "If he didn't have it we were kind of setting a flare to pop Rasheed (Wallace) out."

Prior to Billups' heroics, James connected on a high-arcing 3-pointer in front of Detroit's bench with 13 seconds to go as the shot-clock sounded for an 89-86 edge.

"(Richard Hamilton) fouled me, it should have been an 'and-1' but it is what it is," James said. "We had chances to win the game we just didn't finish it."

Detroit took the lead for good in the second OT when Tayshaun Prince and Wallace scored consecutive baskets to grab a 99-93 advantage with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.

"We started gaining control, running our stuff, kind of got the ball to who we wanted to get the ball to," Saunders said.

Minnesota was undermanned in the overtime due largely to the loss of superstar Kevin Garnett, who was ejected in the fourth quarter after an altercation with Antonio McDyess with 5:18 left. McDyess also was ejected.

"It was tough losing Kevin down the stretch with the incident that happened," Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey said. "But in the heat of the competition those things happen."

Garnett hit McDyess with the ball after jumping to the defense of teammate Mark Madsen, who was shoved to the floor by the Piston reserve underneath the Pistons' rim.

"It wasn't my fault," McDyess said. "I pushed Mark, he flopped. That was pretty much the sum of it. But I looked around and felt someone pushing me in the back and it was KG. He said 'that's garbage' and I said 'alright' and he threw the ball in my face."

With the game tied at 79-79 in regulation, the Timberwolves had a chance to win it, but Trenton Hassell misfired from the baseline as time expired.

Hamilton scored 26 points and Wallace added 18 and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who shot 44 percent (42-of-95) from the field and scored 38 points in the paint

Newly-acquired Chris Webber bounced back from Wednesday's lackluster debut, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in his first start with Detroit.

"It felt good," Billups said about playing with Webber for the second straight game. "I just can't wait until we really become cohesive and I can run all the plays."

Blount poured in 22 points and Garnett added 14 and 19 rebounds for Minnesota, which established an NBA record with its fifth overtime contest this month.

In the third quarter, Minnesota guard Ricky Davis and Casey exchanged words after Davis was benched in favor of rookie Randy Foye. Davis stormed off to the locker room, but did return later to cheer his teammates on.

"I decided not to play him in the second half," Casey said. "That's the bottom line."