Pistons 97, Kings 90
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Josh Smith scored 21 points, center Andre Drummond had 18 rebounds to go along with 15 points and the Detroit Pistons used a clamp-down defense in the second half to pull away from the Sacramento Kings 97-90 on Friday night at Sleep Train Arena.
Drummond grabbed 10 rebounds in the second half -- and six of his eight offensive rebounds came after halftime -- as Detroit (3-5) steadily pulled away for its first road win of the season.
Guard Rodney Stuckey, playing 30 minutes off the bench with starting guard Chauncey Billups out because of knee soreness, had 16 points, forward Kyle Singler scored 11 points and guard Brandon Jennings had 11 points and nine assists for Detroit.
Center DeMarcus Cousins finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Kings (2-6), his fourth game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season. But he was unable to deliver a win on a night when Sacramento fans set a Guinness world record for the loudest crowd roar in an indoor stadium.
Guard Isaiah Thomas had 18 points and seven assists for the Kings, his eighth straight double-digit scoring game coming off the bench. Thomas' streak tied guard Eddie Johnson's 1986-87 run for the second longest streak in Sacramento history. Thomas could tie Walt Williams' run of nine straight in 1992-93 against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
The Pistons never let the Kings get any footing, stealing the ball five times in the first quarter and causing 17 Kings turnovers.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by guard Greivis Vasquez helped Sacramento ease in front 66-64 with 4:35 left in the third quarter, but a 20-4 Detroit run made it 84-70 early in the fourth quarter.
Sacramento never threatened again after that.
NOTES: Detroit G Chauncey Billups missed the game with tendinitis in his left knee and is day-to-day, coach Maurice Cheeks said. Rookie G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made the first start of his career in Billups' place. ... Detroit G Brandon Jennings apologized for a Tweet about Knicks guard Chris Smith that Smith's older brother, New York G J.R. Smith, took umbrage with. J.R. Smith was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for directing hostile and inappropriate language to Jennings via his Twitter account, a violation of league rules. ... Sacramento G Isaiah Thomas entered the game averaging 9.0 points a game in the fourth quarter, behind only Miami F Michael Beasley (12.0) and Jennings (9.3) in fourth-quarter scoring. ... The game marked the third of a five-game homestand for Sacramento, the Kings' longest of the season.
