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Iverson, Pistons rout Wizards, win third straight

Dec 18, 2008 - 3:16 AM By Chuck Klonke PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- Allen Iverson and Rodney Stuckey made sure that there wouldn't be any comeback victories from the Washington Wizards this week.

The duo teamed up for 38 points Wednesday to lead the Pistons to an 88-74 victory against the Wizards, who lost their fourth straight.

It was the lowest-scoring output of the season for Washington.

Iverson scored 28 points, while Stuckey had his third double-double in four games with 18 and 11 assists.

When the teams met in Washington on December 9, Detroit led by 17 points in the first half, but Washington came back to post a 107-94 victory. That was the Wizards' only win in their last eight games.

The Pistons have had trouble holding double-digit leads this month.

They let a 15-point lead slip away in a 96-91 loss to Philadelphia on December 5, had to come from behind to beat Indiana, 114-110, after leading by 11 points on Friday and held on for a 90-86 win against Charlotte one night later after building a 29-point advantage.

Washington didn't get much help from its two leading scorers - Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Butler and Jamison, who came into the game averaging a combined 44 points in the two previous meetings with Detroit, scored just 19 points between them.

Jamison injured his left thumb in the first quarter and came back with the thumb taped and shot only 5-of-18 from the field. Butler averaged 27.0 points in the first two games but scored just 14 in this one.

Mike James led the Wizards with 16 points.

The Pistons used an 11-0 run late in the second quarter to open up a 14-point lead, but the Wizards closed the gap to 44-34 at halftime. Iverson, who scored 15 points in the first half, and Antonio McDyess combined for 10 in the Detroit's spurt.

It was the Pistons' defense that stood out in the first half, holding the Wizards to 34 percent shooting. Washington's 34 points were the fewest allowed by Detroit in a first half this season.

The Pistons took a 61-58 lead into the fourth quarter after the Wizards closed out the third with a three-point play by Juan Dixon and a basket at the buzzer by Nick Young.

After a goal-tending call on a shot by Jamison cut Detroit's lead to 63-62 with 10:06 remaining, the Pistons went on a 12-3 run and extended their margin back to 10 points, 75-65, when Tayshaun Prince made a 20-foot jump shot as the 24-second clock expired.

Detroit had an 87-69 lead - its largest of the game - after a basket by Iverson with 1:14 to go.