Bobcats 108, Pistons 101
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kemba Walker had 20 points, including four in overtime, as the Charlotte Bobcats won for just the second time in 21 games 108-101 over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Ben Gordon, traded to Charlotte during the offseason after three disappointing seasons with the Pistons, had 18 points in his return to The Palace. Ramon Sessions added 15 points and Bismack Biyombo contributed 10 points and 17 rebounds. Charlotte (9-24) forced 22 turnovers, which it converted into 26 points.
Tayshaun Prince's 21 points led the Pistons (13-23), who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Greg Monroe had 18 points and 14 rebounds and Rodney Stuckey contributed 18 points for Detroit.
The Bobcats are 3-1 in overtime games while the Pistons fell to 0-3.
The score was 96-all going into overtime. Tyrus Thomas made a jumper on Charlotte's first overtime possession and Walker doubled the lead with a layup. Detroit finally broke through on Monroe's free throws with 2:06 remaining.
Thomas made another mid-range shot to nudge Charlotte's lead back to four. Walker's reverse layup with 1:13 left made it 104-98.
Stuckey's off-balance 3-pointer with 24.4 seconds left sliced the Bobcats' lead in half but Michael Kidd-Gilchrist hit two free throws five seconds later. When Charlie Villanueva missed a 3-pointer on Detroit's next possession, the Bobcats' victory was secured.
Sessions' layup with 9:21 remaining in regulation gave the Bobcats an 85-84 lead. Andre Drummond then threw down two alley-oops from Will Bynum to put Detroit back on top. Gordon's 3-pointer with 3:44 remaining tie it at 92-92.
Monroe's driving layup was offset by two Gordon free throws. Prince made a jump hook with 2:01 left for a 96-94 Detroit advantage. Neither team scored again until Walker‘s tying layup with 7.8 seconds remaining.
Stuckey tossed up a 3-point airball that went out of bounds with one second left and Gordon's desperation 3-point try also fell short.
The Pistons scored a season-high 60 halftime points, yet led by only one at the break. Detroit's 64.1 percent shooting was offset by its nine turnovers, leading to 16 Bobcats points, and Charlotte's 14-4 advantage in made free throws.
Bobcats forward Hakim Warrick (flu-like symptoms) was a late scratch.
