Final
East-West powers meet when the Pistons host the Suns
Dec 31, 2006 - 4:35 PM Phoenix (20-8) at Detroit (18-10) 4:00 pm ESTAUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons play their first game without injured star Chauncey Billups on Sunday when they host the Phoenix Suns in a matchup of first-place teams.
Billups strained his right calf in a 93-92 loss to Indiana on Friday. He had 23 points and a career-high 12 rebounds against the Pacers before getting hurt.
A 2006 All-Star, Billups is averaging 18.0 points and a team-high 8.1 assists per game for the Central Division-leading Pistons. He is expected to miss at least 10 days.
Richard Hamilton added 22 for Detroit, which will be trying to avoid losing three games in a row for the first time since March 22-25, 2005.
The Pacific Division-leading Suns are coming off a 108-86 win over the Knicks on Friday. Six players scored in double figures, led by Steve Nash's 20 points and nine assists. Raja Bell also had 20 points and Leandro Barbosa added 16 for Phoenix, which are averaging a league-high 111.3 points.
The Suns have lost two in a row and seven of the last nine meetings with the Pistons, including three straight here.
Detroit has not dropped two straight games at the Palace of Auburn Hills since December 2004.
- NBA
PHOENIX 108
DETROIT 101 FINAL
Dec 31 6:27 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 84
DETROIT 78 END, 3RD QTR
Dec 31 5:49 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 56
DETROIT 50 HALFTIME
Dec 31 5:07 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 29
DETROIT 22 END, 1ST QTR
Dec 31 4:37 PM
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