Pistons 97, Wizards 87
WASHINGTON -- Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 19 points and Rodney Stuckey had 18 as the Detroit Pistons wrapped up a successful home-and-home series against the Washington Wizards with a 96-87 win on Saturday night.
Greg Monroe added 13 points for the Pistons (9-21), who entered the two-game set against Washington on a six-game losing streak. Taking advantage of atrocious early shooting by the Wizards, Detroit never trailed, led by 21 at halftime, and held its largest lead at 59-37 early in the third quarter.
Washington found life over the next six minutes during a 21-4 run, with Jordan Crawford scoring seven of the final nine points. Stuckey slowed the momentum with a 3-pointer as the Pistons scored eight straight and led 74-64 entering the fourth. Crawford scored 20 of his 21 in the second half and his 3-pointer with five minutes made the score 88-81, but Washington got no closer.
The Wizards' seventh straight loss dropped their NBA-worst record to 3-22. Washington opened the game missing 17 of 19 field goal attempts and ended up shooting 37.7 percent overall.
Since upsetting Miami on Dec. 4, the Wizards have lost four home games and nine of 10 overall.
Detroit won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 26-28. Villanueva made three 3-pointers and shot 8 of 13 from the field. The veteran forward had scored 23 points in his previous four games combined.
Emeka Okafor scored 14 points and matched his season high with 14 rebounds for the Wizards. Bradley Beal also scored 14 points after missing the previous two games with a sore back. After sitting out Friday's loss, Nene made his first start of the season, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds.
After losing 100-68 at Detroit on Friday without Nene and Beal, Washington missed its initial four field goal attempts and shot 17.4 percent (4 of 23) in the first quarter and trailed 22-13.
Cartier Martin's fourth consecutive jumper pulled Washington closer at 25-18. Later in the quarter, the Pistons countered with three straight 3-pointers, and Stuckey's layup closed the scoring with Detroit ahead 54-35.
NOTES: In the two games against Washington, Pistons rookie center Andre
Drummond grabbed 25 rebounds. ... Inactive in both games against Washington, Corey Maggette sat out his fourth straight game as a healthy scratch. Rookie guard Kim English took Maggette's spot on the active roster. ... Wizards coach Randy Wittman said John Wall continues working with the training staff, but has not participated in a team practice. The point guard, who has missed the entire season with a left patella stress reaction, received the last of three Synvisc injections on Nov. 14. ... The Wizards played a lot closer with Nene. In the last three games the veteran forward missed, Washington suffered its three most lopsided losses of the season: 32 points at Detroit, 30 at Miami on Dec. 15 and by 26 against San Antonio on Nov. 26. ... Both teams return to action after Christmas, with the Pistons at Atlanta and the Wizards hosting Cleveland.
