Pistons 89, Cavaliers 79
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Brandon Knight scored 17 points, and the Detroit Pistons recorded a season-high 13 blocks in an 89-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at The Palace on Monday.
Tayshaun Prince and Kyle Singler scored 15 apiece as the Pistons snapped a two-game losing streak and won their fifth consecutive home game. Detroit's Jason Maxiell added 12 points, six rebounds and a team-high five blocks. Maxiell also surpassed 2,000 rebounds for his career.
Anderson Varejao finished with 17 points and 18 rebounds for Cleveland, his ninth straight double-double.
The Cavs trailed by as much as 22 and were down double digits most of the game.
Behind by 20 midway through the third, Cleveland reeled off eight unanswered points. Tyler Zeller's baseline shot in the final minute of the quarter pulled the Cavs within 73-63, but Rodney Stuckey's layup made it a 12-point spread entering the final quarter.
Cleveland went scoreless in the first 3:45 of the fourth before making a comeback. A 7-0 spurt pulled the Cavs within nine, and when Varejao made a layup with 3:31 remaining, Detroit's lead was down to 83-76. The Pistons (6-13) steadied themselves at that point and didn't allow Cleveland (4-14) to get closer than six.
Cavs shooting guard Dion Waiters, the NBA's second-highest-scoring rookie at 15.2 points per game, missed the game because of a left ankle sprain. Waiters joined starting point guard Kyrie Irving (fractured finger) on the sideline.
Kyle Singler, who was averaging 13 points in his last five games, took advantage of Waiters' absence and scored 13 in the first half as the Pistons rolled to a 56-39 halftime lead.
Singler scored seven consecutive Detroit points in the first quarter on a transition pull-up, a baseline shot and a 3-pointer. That gave the Pistons their biggest lead of the quarter, 27-13.
He also made a 3-pointer early in the second quarter to maintain the 14-point advantage. When Knight converted a scoop shot, the Pistons' lead was up to 20, 45-25. Stuckey's layup gave Detroit its biggest lead of the quarter at 49-27. Singler added another 3-pointer late in the half.
Varejao, who came into the game averaging 15.1 points and a league-best 15.3 rebounds, had five of the Cavs' 12 offensive rebounds in the first half.
"When Varejao came into the league, he was a very hard-playing guy," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. "He had a hard time finishing and couldn't shoot, but he played with frenetic energy. Now you see with his will and his thirst for getting better the different components he's added to his game."
NOTES: Cavs coach Byron Scott said Waiters might play against Chicago on Wednesday. ... Detroit's 30 first-quarter points were a season high. ... Knight averaged 22.8 points and 5.3 assists in four games against Cleveland last season. ... Cleveland has grabbed more offensive rebounds than its opponent in 17 of 18 games, winning that category 20-15 on Monday. ... Detroit was averaging 13.7 more points at home than on the road (101.6 compared to 87.9) before Monday.
