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Pistons excelling without Iverson

Mar 6, 2009 - 11:11 AM Golden State (21-40) at Detroit (30-29) 8:00 p.m. EST

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The absence of Allen Iverson has thus far been a good thing for the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons go for their fourth straight win without Iverson on Friday when they host the Golden State Warriors.

Iverson, who is averaging a team-high 18 points and five assists per game, will be out for at least the next two weeks with a sore back after it was recommended by Georgetown doctors that the guard suspend basketball related activities.

The 13-year veteran suffered the injury in a 103-91 loss at Miami on February 24, then missed the final 36 minutes of a 90-87 defeat at Miami the next night.

He was not with the Pistons for Sunday's 105-95 victory in Boston or Tuesday's 100-95 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Detroit has won their past three games without Iverson, snapping an eight-game slide with last Friday's 93-85 victory in Orlando.

The Warriors are coming off a 110-88 drubbing against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, their fourth loss in five games.

Stephen Jackson scored 19 points and Corey Maggette added 14 for Golden State, which was outrebounded, 54-41, and shot just 5-of-21 from the arc. The Warriors entered the game averaging 108 points per contest.