Gordon, Wallace help Pistons beat 76ers 88-81

Nov 8, 5:04 pm EST

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)—If anybody thought Ben Wallace(notes) was going to just play out the string this season with the Pistons, they had better reconsider.

That’s not at all how it’s working out.

Wallace has been rejuvenated by his return to Detroit, providing the same contributions that helped the Pistons win the 2004 championship and nearly repeat a year later.

In Sunday’s 88-81 victory over Philadelphia, Wallace only scored two points, but finished 16 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Seven of his rebounds came on the offensive glass, helping the Pistons grab a season-high 21.

“I knew Ben was going to be an asset this season because he’d be able to teach our bigs,” Pistons coach John Kuester said. “I never imagined he could have this kind of impact on the court. This is the old Ben Wallace again, and he’s making Kwame Brown(notes), Jason Maxiell(notes) and Chris Wilcox(notes) better just by showing them what it is possible to do.”

Kuester joked that Wallace’s comeback has been fueled entirely by his coaching, but Ben Gordon(notes) has a different opinion.

“This is where Ben feels like home,” said Gordon, who also played with Wallace on the Bulls. “When he came to Chicago, it never seemed like he felt that way, and I don’t think it happened for him in Cleveland, either. He’s been incredible for us this year.”

Gordon led Detroit with 23 points as it continues to find ways to make up for the absence of Tayshaun Prince(notes) (back) and Richard Hamilton(notes) (ankle).

“This was big for us—any game we can win without Tay and Rip is huge,” Gordon said. “It was tied with a few minutes left, and we could have easily panicked, but we showed some poise and resolve.”

Andre Iguodala(notes) led Philadelphia with 24 points, but the 76ers missed their last eight field-goal attempts.

“They were sagging in the paint, and I thought we took midrange shots that we will make on a normal basis,” said Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan. “The story of the game was that we could not rebound the basketball. We shot ourselves in the foot with their offensive rebounds and some plays that we didn’t finish at the basket.”

Detroit led 43-37 after a first half that saw both offenses struggle, and only 20 offensive rebounds—13 of them by the Pistons—allowed the teams to reach 80 combined points. Iguodala had 15 in the half for Philadelphia, while Gordon had 10 for Detroit.

The 76ers tied the game early in the second half, but Gordon and rookie Jonas Jerebko(notes) led a surge that put Detroit ahead by as many as nine. Jerebko and fellow rookie Austin Daye(notes) combined for 17 points and seven rebounds.

“You have to like the way our rookies have performed this early—they are both going to be good players,” Kuester said. “So is DeJuan Summers, once he gets a chance to get some minutes.”

Rodney Stuckey’s(notes) late jumper put the Pistons ahead 64-59 going into the fourth, but Marreese Speights’(notes) put-back dunk gave the 76ers their first lead with 7:22 to play. After Stuckey made a free throw, Iguodala hit a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia a three-point edge.

Wallace helped Detroit’s last surge with two blocks and another offensive rebound, and Villanueva’s runner gave the Pistons an 81-77 lead with 3:09 left. Philadelphia did not score a field goal for the final 6 minutes.

“This was one of those games where we just couldn’t get anything going,” said Detroit native Willie Green(notes), who finished with 13 points for the 76ers. “It was one of those games that could have gone either way, but they got too many easy baskets in the paint. We need to do a better job rebounding.”

NOTES: Prince missed his fourth straight game, while Hamilton was out for the sixth time in a row. Pistons coach John Kuester does not expect either to return within the next week. … Speights left the game with 4:50 to play after banging knees with a Pistons player under the basket, but said after the game that he was fine. … The Pistons had 19 offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, while the 76ers had only 17 defensive boards in the same period.

Updated Nov 8, 5:04 pm EST
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30 Comments

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  1. Louie
    30. Posted by Louie Mon Nov 9 6:23pm EST

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    well a win great, nothing to get excited really, they might win and sneak a few wins here and there but really some teams are looking better than the pistons like the thunders, kings, bobcats and even knicks if they get there acts together, i think the only team they can easily beat hands down is the nets and that is it, great Ben Wallace might have drank the fountain of youth and became the Big Ben we all known a nd love back in the days but really i question how long can he last?who can replace him if for goodness sake'sthe injury bug hit him? still eighty two games is still a long way to go and really they still need some changes, i am for trading prince and maxiell for a center that hopefully will help the piston place twelve spot in the east if they fail to do so they will have some tough competition with the bobcats to get that last playoff berth in my opinion.
  2. Jose
    29. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 4:55pm EST

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    Deeeeetrooooooit basketbaaaaaaaall.
  3. DeLco
    28. Posted by DeLco Mon Nov 9 3:04pm EST

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    the pistons are the greatest basketball team on earf
  4. Navy Veteran
    27. Posted by Navy Veteran Mon Nov 9 1:52pm EST

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    I agree, when they got rid of darko, I lost a lot of repsect for dumars. I am glad to see big ben back...thank god I kept his signed jersey and didn't toss it :) . I hope that we get a couple more top players before the playoff's and are able to go farther then we did last year. GO PISTONS !!!! BEAT THE CAVS AND QUEEN LEBRON !!!
  5. chillyfromphilly
    26. Posted by chillyfromphilly Mon Nov 9 12:04pm EST

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    well the latest elephant in the room for my sixers is that the sixers have 2 solid small forwards. the problem is that one of them is currently playing the shooting guard right now. iggie and young both play well at the 3. it would be great if iggie could be that big shooting guard that the sixers have been missing. but iggie, at least for now, just cant play the 2. both are still young in age. as much as i and the sixers like both players, the reality is that one of them is gonna have to go.
  6. Shezam
    25. Posted by Shezam Mon Nov 9 11:41am EST

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    Ben always has had a big heart and that is a bonus for a young team.
  7. chillyfromphilly
    24. Posted by chillyfromphilly Mon Nov 9 11:09am EST

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    ok, so this time i cant complain that my sixers gave up too many 3's. but as usual, my sixers found a way to get beat. the sixers got pounded on the boards yesterday. i let last season slide because it was his first season here and then he got hurt but.....has anyone seen elton brand? i mean, i guess the 20 and 10 days are gone for brand but damn. 9 boards, and 6 friggin points? you would expect those numbers from brands backup. not from brand himself. maybe for a half. not the entire game. i know its early and no one expects the sixers to do much this season, but before i put out money to go to a sixers game( unless its an away game in a warm weather city)i need for brand to have a few monster games and oh, a few wins would be good too.
  8. RON RON
    23. Posted by RON RON Mon Nov 9 10:50am EST

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    If the pistons can stay around the forth or fifth team in the east they might have a chance come playoff time.But they still gone have to make a move before the trade deadline to compeat with the top teams in the east.IF the pistons wouldnt draft Darko we would still be the best team in the east even without Billups.
  9. Seoul
    22. Posted by Seoul Mon Nov 9 10:39am EST

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    Alright, well, if you go back into the Cleveland-Orlando series last year, you'd notice that Big Ben WAS the only player on Cleveland that could give Dwight Howard some problems, and lets be honest, other than LeBron, who other big strong players did they have to help him? Big Z? Come on, that dude would get blowed over by the wind. Big Ben can't do everything, you saw that in the last Pistons-Orlando game this season, Big Ben can do things against Howard, but he needs help, especially this late in his career, @#$%, 2004 Big Ben would completely eat Dwight Howard alive and spit his bones back out by himself, no help side, nothing...On defense. Obviously on offense Dwight Howard would destroy Ben easily. I do think that my Stones have the potiential to do things this season, and i'm really sick of all these haters trash talking em, they never get props on the espn, nba tv, sportcenter, blah blah blah, its always, "we'll the (other team) is having a horrible game, can't make anything" did u ever think, maybe that's cuz we're playing DEFENSE???
  10. <i>dclarke33</i>
    21. Posted by dclarke33 Mon Nov 9 10:12am EST

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    Let's not get super excited about barely beating a .500 team. Great win but come on.
  11. Uncle Joe
    20. Posted by Uncle Joe Mon Nov 9 8:41am EST

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    Defense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  12. Bryan
    19. Posted by Bryan Mon Nov 9 4:25am EST

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    Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig bennnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!
  13. MELROM
    18. Posted by MELROM Mon Nov 9 2:34am EST

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    if big ben can help motivate brown, wilcox, maxiell to play like "bad boys" look out! thats one heelluva of front court...with BG leading for now and when rip and tay come back to help with the scoring the future looks bright for the pistons, and i forgot to mention C. Vill is in the house too.. "bad boys III" awesome!!!
  14. Dionte
    17. Posted by Dionte Mon Nov 9 12:24am EST

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    Big Ben will help the pistons but they need to feed off his energy if they want to win
  15. Mr. Reynolds
    16. Posted by Mr. Reynolds Mon Nov 9 12:23am EST

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    in rick mahorn's voice as ben wallace puts back a jam over Shaq in the 04 finals:

    OOOOOOHHHHHHH BIG BEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHHHH HAHAHAHA ooooooooooooooooo
  16. peejay
    15. Posted by peejay Mon Nov 9 12:13am EST

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    its nice big ben is back.. hope he can help his team..
  17. <i>travdust</i>
    14. Posted by travdust Sun Nov 8 11:32pm EST

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    "Wallace had 16 boards? Where was this Big Ben when he played for the Cavs? "

    He left his heart in the D
  18. Michigan Fan #1
    13. Posted by Michigan Fan #1 Sun Nov 8 10:13pm EST

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    @michael-the bulls actually offered big ben 12 mill more...just sayinnn dont tell ppl to get their facts straight if you dont have yours straight :P
  19. robert
    12. Posted by robert Sun Nov 8 8:36pm EST

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    way to go Big Ben.....DEEEEETROIT BASKETBAAAAL !!!!!
  20. Michael
    11. Posted by Michael Sun Nov 8 8:19pm EST

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    @Marlon - Detroit did not release Big Ben. He left for Chicago as a free agent. Signed for 10 mill more than Detroit offered. Get your facts straight.
  21. Rick K
    10. Posted by Rick K Sun Nov 8 8:16pm EST

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    Remember last season when the Pistons couldn't win a Sunday game? It was nice to see Detroit out rebound a team and get 21 offensive boards. The rookies are playing well in Prince's absent and what a nice addition Ben Wallace has been. GREAT EFFORT! GO PISTONS!
  22. Anthony
    9. Posted by Anthony Sun Nov 8 7:35pm EST

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    Sorry but if Kareem couldn't help turn Kwame Brown into a good player, then Big Ben can't do it either.
  23. Michael
    8. Posted by Michael Sun Nov 8 6:58pm EST

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    im almost glad prince is out. he seems to hit a wall late in the season and this may be what he needs. just rest and get healthy and hopefully he'll be his fundamentally perfect self to compliment what's looking like a pretty darn good/scrappy team.
  24. marlon alexander l
    7. Posted by marlon alexander l Sun Nov 8 6:44pm EST

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    big ben is back. even i didn't imagine he will be this great, coming off an injury and career-low seasons in cleveland. this is the wallace of the 2004 detroit championship season. not scoring much but a beast on the glass.

    good thing the suns released him coz very well he will not get his minutes coz he won't fit with the team's runnin and gunnin style

    and i agree, where was the big ben we're looking for when he played for the cavs? why can't he stop dwight howard down low? it's a different thing in detroit. also wonder what would've happened if detroit didn't release him in 2006. lebron wouldn't have gotten his way and detroit must've been in the finals for the next two years.
  25. Brandon
    6. Posted by Brandon Sun Nov 8 6:29pm EST

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    i never realize how much we need rip on the offensive floor becuz we got ben gordon, but he cant do it by himself. when we get rip and tay back, we will be a force to be reckon with
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Philadelphia
A. Iguodala Andre Iguodala
9-16,  24 Pts
6 Rebs, 4 Assists
 Detroit
B. Gordon Ben Gordon
9-19,  23 Pts
2 Rebs, 3 Assists

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