Sat 29 Dec 2007
Balanced Scoring The Key As Pistons Bounce Pacers 114-101
Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main
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The Indiana Pacers just didn’t have a chance?Friday against the Detroit Pistons; hot shooting during the second and third quarters by Detroit was key as they easily disposed of the Pacers 114-101 at Detroit.? Oddly enough, one of the unsung heroes for the Pistons was forward Jarvis Hayes; Hayes, despite suffering from food poisoning, scored 13 second-quarter points.? That should’ve been a sign that Indiana was in trouble.
Detroit led 64-41 at halftime, and the only reason Indiana wasn’t routed then was due to Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal scoring 12 points in the period.? But Pistons swingman Richard Hamilton’s13 points in the same period enabled Detroit to carry a substantial 93-70 lead into the fourth quarter; the Pacers never threatened from that time on as they played sloppily the rest of the way.
Detroit had 6 players in double-digits, led by Hamilton with 23 points and 9 assists on 10-of-17 shooting.? Tayshaun Prince pitched in with 15, while Chauncey Billups added 14 with 4 rebounds and 6 assists.? Indiana was led by O’Neal with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting while grabbing 6 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists.? Troy Murphy added 12 and 5 boards.? Detroit (22-7) has a rematch with Indiana (15-15) - this time at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday night
