Final
Wallace powers Pistons to sixth straight win
Feb 11, 2007 - 5:05 AM AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- Temperamental Rasheed Wallace showed All-Star Chris Bosh a thing or two in the paint and from the arc.Wallace scored 18 of his season-high 28 points in the second half as the Pistons won their sixth straight game, a 98-92 triumph over Toronto Raptors.
Known most for receiving technical fouls rather than his play, Wallace took care of business from all angles to end the Raptors' season-high five-game winning streak.
The 6-11 Wallace connected on 12-of-22 shots, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range. He also had seven rebounds and two blocks.
"He (Wallace) was great," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "He was aggressive on the offensive end, aggressive on the defensive end, he rebounded and did a great job of locking the paint down."
"You know (Rasheed's) a good player," Bosh said. "He's been in this league a long time. He's such a big, strong guy down there and he's long too, so when he shoots turnaround jump shots all you can do is hope he misses."
Bosh, who entered averaging 23.4 points per game, was held in check with just 14 on 5-of-15 shooting.
"I don't think energy was a factor," Bosh said. "It's real tough when they set up in their set defense. If you see what I see, you don't like it. I just have to keep playing. I try to get my teammates involved. I try not to force too many shots. If I don't score many points some night and get my teammates involved, that's what I have to do."
"I was just trying to play him (Bosh) straight up," Wallace said. "He's a good, athletic young player. I got help from my teammates. Chauncey's always telling me where the help is on the weak side. When you know they're all behind you, it's cool."
Top overall selection Andrea Bargnani drained two 3-pointers during a 9-0 surge as the Raptors grabbed an 87-85 advantage with 4:32 remaining.
But the Pistons regained control for good behind the efforts of Wallace, who scored six points in a 10-0 burst, including the capping 3-pointer for a 95-87 lead with 2:47 left.
The Pistons feed off Wallace, who was whistled for his 15th technical of the season just prior to their late game-changing run.
"It was a crazy (garbage) call," Wallace said. "I just handed the ball to (official) Scott (Foster). Sam (Mitchell) was in their faces all night and that kid, T.J. (Ford), threw the ball down and didn't get nothing."
"Of course I feed off of that," Wallace said. "If they make those (garbage) calls on myself or any of our players, absolutely, I'll feed off that."
Wallace's next technical will result in an automatic one-game suspension. He has registered 62 since the 2004-05 campaign.
"I think there are some double standards because of Rasheed's reputation," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "He reacts. Other people react but he always seems to get nabbed."
"Everyone knows that when he get technicals and the deck is kind of stacked against him, he comes out fighting," Billups said. "Every time he does that, I go to him. I call his play as many times as I can so he gets tired."
Richard Hamilton had 21 points and eight assists and Billups added 14 and nine for the Pistons, who shot 50 percent (39-of-78) from the floor.
Ford collected 17 points and 11 assists and Bargnani added 14 off the bench for Toronto, which has lost eight straight games here and was outscored, 55-43, in the second half.
"We made some mistakes but for some of our guys it was a different type of atmosphere," Mitchell said. "It was a big game for both teams. Our young guys got a taste of what it's going to be like in the second half after the break. We'll be back."
- NBA
TORONTO 92
DETROIT 98 FINAL
Feb 10 9:55 PM - NBA
TORONTO 73
DETROIT 76 END, 3RD QTR
Feb 10 9:16 PM - NBA
TORONTO 49
DETROIT 43 HALFTIME
Feb 10 8:35 PM - NBA
TORONTO 24
DETROIT 18 END, 1ST QTR
Feb 10 8:08 PM
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