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Pistons pound Suns

Nov 29, 2012 - 5:12 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Charlie Villanueva posted 19 points and six rebounds as the Detroit Pistons dominated the Phoenix Suns, 117-77.

Brandon Knight also gave 19 points and six assists, while Rodney Stuckey added 18 points for the Pistons, who set a season-high in points and their largest margin of victory in winning their second straight.

It's the first win streak of the season for Detroit, which began the campaign with eight straight losses.

"I'm not going to diminish this win, but it's just one game," said Detroit head coach Lawrence Frank. "We just have to keep building. We've put together a couple of good games and home and now we have to take this one the road."

Luis Scola had 11 points and six rebounds for the Suns, who had won three of four coming into the game. Markieff Morris and Goran Dragic each had 10 points in the loss.

"There's not anything to say about this," said Phoenix head coach Alvin Gentry. "It was an absolutely horrendous game and we'll have to come out with a much better effort on Friday."

The first quarter was tight as neither team was able to build more than a 4- point lead, with the game tied at 24-all heading into the second session.

A 9-2 run from Detroit early in the second, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Corey Maggette, saw the team hold a 35-28 lead after two free throws from Stuckey.

The Pistons later used a 10-2 run to create even more distance and a Jason Maxiell jumper late in the frame helped the team take a 55-44 lead into the locker room.

Things got ugly in the third quarter as there was a total of five technical fouls called.

The first came just over a minute in when Morris and Maxiell were each given a technical and Shannon Brown was next following his flagrant foul on Knight on a fastbreak. Knight made all three free throws and Dragic then got a technical for a flagrant foul on Knight.

Thanks in part to all the fouls, Detroit held a 65-46 advantage after a Greg Monroe dunk with just over eight minutes to play in the third.

Phoenix took another technical foul later in the third as Sebastian Telfair was whistled during a 9-0 run from the Pistons, who used the undisciplined play to give themselves an 81-60 lead after three quarters of play.

Detroit built its lead to as high as 44 points in the fourth quarter to close out the emphatic win.

Game Notes

Detroit plays in Memphis on Friday ... It was the largest margin of victory for Detroit since a 45-point win against Milwaukee on Dec. 31, 2007 ... It was the most points the Suns had given up this season as well as their worst defeat ... The Suns had won seven of eight against the Pistons coming into the contest ... Phoenix continues its six-game road trip in Toronto on Friday ... Detroit shot 52.6 percent while Phoenix made just 34.1 percent of its shots.