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Foye, Gomes spark Timberwolves rout Pistons

Nov 24, 2008 - 2:38 AM AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- Randy Foye scored 23 points and Ryan Gomes added 20 as the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Detroit Pistons, 106-80, on Sunday.

Al Jefferson added 19 points for the Timberwolves, who have won two of their last three games.

Tayshaun Prince scored 20 points and Jason Maxiell had 12 for Detroit, which has lost two straight and three of its last four contests.

It was not the kind of start the Pistons were looking for, as they began their four-game homestand by shooting 37 percent (30-of-81) from the field and getting outscored in each quarter.

""We've had three of our five losses all on the average of 20 points have been at 6 o'clock on Sunday," Detroit coach Michael Curry said. "I just told the guys that tells me we're not ready to play for whatever we're doing prior to those early games on Sunday.

"We haven't been ready to play and as head coach of this team I take full responsibility for that."

Foye added a career-high 14 assists to help lead the Timberwolves to their first road victory of the season. Minnesota entered Sunday's contest with an 0-5 mark on the road.

"Randy Foye was a different player tonight. This shows what he can be when he plays aggressive basketball," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "He forced the defense to collapse on him, and that's where the 14 assists came from. We've spent two days talking to him about being more aggressive, and that's what he did."

"Everything seemed simple tonight," Foye said. "The coach told me to just go for it, and there was just great energy out there."

Al Jefferson had 19 points and Craig Smith scored 16 off the bench for the Timberwolves, who jumped out to a 44-34 lead at the half.

"This will put a smile on your face. This is as good a performance as we've had, at least from start to finish," Wittman said. "We never let up on the accelerator all night."

Defense and Gomes helped Minnesota build the first-half lead as the Timberwolves limited the Pistons to 28 percent shooting while Gomes had 13 points and six rebounds at the break.

"Tonight, we did the job. We moved the ball and played good offense," Gomes said.

Minnesota opened up the lead to 76-52 after three and Detroit dropped to 4-5 since Allen Iverson joined the team on November 7. Iverson scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting.

"We've had tough shooting games but you wouldn't expect it tonight against a team that had only won two games coming in. It was just a tough night," Iverson said. "I got some great looks tonight they just didn't go down. I stunk up the joint.

"I couldn't do anything right on the offensive end of the court, I was aggressive going to the basket, I got some wide open looks and they just didn't go down. It was one of those nights you wish you never had but they happen.''