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Pistons welcome Philly to The Palace

Jan 17, 2015 - 2:45 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The red-hot Detroit Pistons will try to keep their momentum going Saturday night when they welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Detroit has won three of its last four, but the bigger picture paints a story of broader success. Since releasing Josh Smith on Dec. 22, the Pistons are 10-2 and have won seven in a row on the road.

At home has been a different story as the Pistons have dropped two of their last three.

Detroit earned a gritty, 98-96 road victory over their Central Division rivals, the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

Andre Drummond turned defense into offense for the Pistons. Drummond took a charge from Roy Hibbert with 23.9 seconds left and then tipped in the winning shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Brandon Jennings led the way with a season-high 37 points for Detroit. He went 8-of-13 from 3-point range and made all nine of his foul shots.

Drummond had 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Greg Monroe scored 11 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 10.

Hibbert lowered his shoulder into Drummond, who drew the charge. Then, Jennings drove to the left of the lane and missed as his shot was altered by a leaping Hibbert. Drummond, though, converted the tip-in.

"My main thing was to take it to the rim, 23 seconds left, definitely get the last shot," Jennings said. "If anything, get a high floater and if I missed it I know Dre or somebody could be there to tip it in. That's just a play that me and Dre have in our heads."

The seven-game road win streak equals the mark set Jan. 18 - Feb. 22, 2002.

The Sixers are somewhat hot themselves, although not quite at the level of the Pistons. Philly has won three of its last five, including a 96-81 home victory over the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

The win was the Sixers' first double-digit triumph of the season.

Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams filled the stat sheet against the short-handed Pelicans, who were without both Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday on Friday.

Davis sat with a sprained left toe he suffered in Wednesday's win over Detroit and Holiday, the former Sixer, missed a second game with right ankle inflammation.

Noel had 17 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks and Carter-Williams scored 22 with seven assists and six rebounds, but neither had to contend with two of the Pelicans' best players.

"We feel good," said Noel. "Coaches have been doing a great job making sure we have our legs under us."

Robert Covington scored 18 points and Luc Mbah a Moute had 13 for the Sixers, who entered the game on a two-game skid after falling to Eastern Conference division leaders Atlanta and Toronto.

The Sixers took care of the ball, going nearly two quarters without turning it over during one stretch. Their 19-point lead in the fourth quarter was a season-best and they went wire-to-wire for the win.

The Sixers beat the Pistons in The Palace on Dec. 6 and have taken two straight in this series. Detroit had won the previous four before the two-game slide.