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Pistons 105, Bobcats 99

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jose Calderon hit five free throws in the final 1:57 and the Detroit Pistons beat the Charlotte Bobcats 105-99 on Wednesday night.

The Pistons led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter, but had to hold on after the Bobcats got as close as one on two occasions, the latest at 100-99. Detroit scored the last five points of the game.

The win moved the Pistons to 22-34 for the season and was the fourth win in their last six games.

The Bobcats fell to a league-worst 13-41 and failed in a bid to win back-to-back games for only the third time all season.

Brandon Knight led the Pistons with 21 points but didn't score after suffering a knee injury late in the third quarter. Greg Monroe finished with 19 points, including 10 in the final six minutes. Monroe made a key basket that gave the Pistons a 102-99 lead with 1:03 left.

The Pistons also got 17 points from Calderon and 12 from Rodney Stuckey.

Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 24 points while Ramon Sessions scored 18, Byron Mullens scored 15 and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 11.

There were 14 lead changes in the first three quarters. The Pistons led by as many as 11 in the first quarter and led 28-25 after one. But the Bobcats came back to lead 56-55 at halftime. The Pistons then took a 77-76 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Pistons opened the fourth on a 13-4 run and led 90-79 with 7:39 left. With 5;22 left, the Piston still led 94-85 after Moore's layup.

But the Bobcats wouldn't give up and answered with two 3-pointers by Mullens and two thunderous dunks by Kidd-Gilchrist to trail by one, 100-99.

Notes: Andre Drummond missed his sixth straight game for the Pistons with a stress fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra. ... The Bobcats won the only previous game between the teams, 108-101 in overtime at Detroit on Jan. 6. Walker scored 20 points and Biyombo had 17 rebounds in that game for the Bobcats, while Tayshaun Prince scored 21 for the Pistons. ... The teams will meet two more times this season, on March 23 in Charlotte and on April 12 at Detroit. ... The Bobcats were playing the second game in a stretch of four games in five nights. They won at Orlando 105-92 on Tuesday night behind 24 points each from Walker and Henderson, and 20 from Mullens. That marked the first time all season that the Bobcats have had three players score 20 or more in the same game. ... The Bobcats were opening a three-game homestand on Wednesday night. They'll face Chicago at home on Friday and Denver on Saturday. ... Before the game, Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap declined to talk about a recent incident with Ben Gordon, saying he had moved on. ... The Pistons were also playing the second game in a stretch of four games in five nights. They lost to Memphis 105-91 at home on Tuesday. They'll play at Indiana on Friday night and then will meet the Pacers again at home on Saturday night. ... The Pistons had won three of four going into the All-Star break. ... With his nine points and six rebounds against Memphis on Tuesday night, Monroe had a streak of eight straight double-doubles come to an end. ... With a completely healthy roster, the Bobcats have been designating Tyrus Thomas as their inactive.