Pacers 99, Pistons 91
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Small forward Paul George poured in 31 points and added 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 99-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday at The Palace.
The Pacers (4-0) remained the league's lone undefeated team by downing the Pistons (2-2) for the sixth consecutive time.
George, who was tied for fourth place in the NBA with an average of 25.7 points per game, made 12 of 18 field-goal tries. Guard C.J. Watson contributed 15 points, forward David West chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds, and center Roy Hibbert had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks for Indiana, which is off to its first 4-0 start since 2004-05.
Pacers point guard George Hill missed his second consecutive game due to a sore left hip.
Point guard Brandon Jennings, making his first start for the Pistons, had a team-high 17 points and six assists. Jennings came off the bench in his Detroit debut against Boston on Sunday after missing the first two games with a partially fractured jaw.
Forward Josh Smith had 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for Detroit, and forward Greg Monroe contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Indiana seized command with a 15-2 spurt early in the second half, taking a 55-46 advantage. Guard Lance Stephenson made a 3-pointer and a 20-footer during the latter stages of the outburst, and George finished it off with an alley-oop dunk off a feed from Hibbert. George also dropped in a pull-up jumper during the final minute of the quarter as the Pacers carried a 74-63 lead into the fourth.
Detroit pulled within four early in the fourth, but Indiana responded with an 18-3 run for a 94-75 lead. Pacers reserve forward Luis Scola made two jumpers, while George fired in a 3-pointer and added two free throws during that span.
The Pistons held the Pacers to nine second-quarter points while erasing a 15-point deficit and taking a 41-38 halftime lead.
NOTES: Pistons second-year C Andre Drummond recorded his 100th career block against during the first quarter, swatting a shot by Indiana F David West. ... The Pacers swept the Pistons in their four-game series last season by an average margin of 20 points. ... Detroit F Charlie Villanueva was inactive because of a sore left shoulder. ... Indiana coach Frank Vogel said G George Hill (sore left hip) could return to action as early as Wednesday when his team hosts the Chicago Bulls. "He's close," Vogel said. "We thought he'd be available (Tuesday). He was still a little bit limited when he was moving in the shootaround." ... Pistons coach Mo Cheeks decided to leave G Chauncey Billups in the lineup with G Rodney Stuckey coming off the bench for the time being. "Chauncey brings a couple of things," he said. "He's a veteran, he's been out there awhile and he brings 3-point shooting as well." Billups scored four points in 24 minutes, while Stuckey had nine points in 16 minutes.
