Final
Clippers upend Pistons 104-96
Nov 28, 2009 - 4:41 AM AUBURN HILLS, Mich.(AP) -- Chris Kaman's family and friends always come to see him when he visits Detroit. The center's play in the post finally sent them home with happy memories.The Michigan native scored 26 points Friday night on 11 for 13 shooting to help the Los Angeles Clippers top the Pistons 104-96 and end a 13-game skid against Detroit.
"They always come," Kaman said, "but it's a lot nicer to win here. I've never won a game here before."
The former Central Michigan standout had a pair of baskets in the final minutes to help thwart a Pistons rally and lead the Clippers to their third win in four tries.
Baron Davis added 25 points and 10 assists and Al Thornton added 19 points.
Rookie Jonas Jerebko had a career-best 22 points and Rodney Stuckey added 21 before fouling out for Detroit, which lost its seventh straight.
Jerebko's 3-pointer halfway through the fourth quarter gave the Pistons an 87-86 lead. The Clippers answered with a 7-0 run, including consecutive baskets from Thornton, to regain the lead for good. Thornton was 5 for 6 from the floor and scored 12 points in the final period.
"I was asleep the first three quarters, but I woke up in the fourth quarter," he said. "Getting a win here makes it a pretty good trip."
The Clippers were outrebounded 43-35 but made up for it by blocking nine Detroit shots and holding the Pistons to 40 percent field-goal shooting while making almost 60 percent. The Clippers outscored the Pistons 46-26 in the paint.
"We've got a lot of guys who can post up," coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We took advantage of it."
Will Bynum scored 14 points and had nine assists and Ben Wallace grabbed 16 rebounds for Detroit, which was missing three of its most able offensive contributors.
"Their interior passing was superior to ours and Kaman did a really good job of sizing up what he wanted to and knocking down open looks," Pistons coach John Kuester said.
The Pistons were without guard Ben Gordon, who left Wednesday's loss to Cleveland with a sprained left ankle. He joined Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tashaun Prince (back) on the sick list.
Rookie Austin Daye made his first career start in Gordon's place and scored a career-best 13 points.
Eric Gordon, playing his second game since missing eight straight with a groin injury, came off the bench to score 14 points for the Clippers.
"We had a lot of guys chip in," added Dunleavy, who said he was happy to hear his son, Mike, played his first game in almost a year for Indiana on Friday.
Notes: Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan (right ankle sprain) missed his third straight game. ... Davis was assessed a technical foul after arguing with an official in the first quarter. ... Detroit's last home loss to the Clippers was Feb. 19, 2001.
- NBA
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 27 20 27 30 104
DETROIT 27 27 21 21 96 FINAL
HIGH SCORERS: LAC - CHRIS KAMAN 26, BARON DAVIS 25, AL
THORNTON 19
DET - JONAS JEREBKO 22, RODNEY STUCKEY 21,
WILL BYNUM 14
Nov 27 10:41 PM - NBA
LA CLIPPERS 74
DETROIT 75 END, 3RD QTR
Nov 27 9:58 PM - NBA
LA CLIPPERS 47
DETROIT 54 HALFTIME
Nov 27 9:10 PM - NBA
END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 27 27
DETROIT 27 27 END 1ST QTR
HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER
LAC - BARON DAVIS 10, CHRIS KAMAN 9, FOUR
PLAYERS WITH 2
DET - RODNEY STUCKEY 12, WILL BYNUM 6,
JONAS JEREBKO 3
Nov 27 8:39 PM
Related News
- Steph Curry Sets Another NBA Record Feb 15
- Pistons Lose 28th Straight After Blowing Lead to Celtics Dec 29
- Pistons vs. Nets GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More Dec 23
- Tom Gores speaks: 6 biggest takeaways from Gores’ sitdown with the media Dec 23
- Pistons vs. Nets preview: The wrong kind of history on the line for Detroit tonight Dec 23
- The Pindown: Losing with Velocity Dec 23
- Pistons lost 25th straight, fans break out in ‘sell the team’ chants Dec 21
- Pistons vs. Jazz GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More Dec 21
- Pistons vs. Jazz preview: Will this be the one? Dec 21
- Clippers Look Like NBA's California Dream Team Dec 19
- Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Dec 19
- Pistons vs. Hawks GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More Dec 18