Chauncey Billups hit two free throws with a tenth of a second
left to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 87-85 victory over the Boston
Celtics on Wednesday.
The loss was Boston's first at home this season having won its
first 12 home games, its most since a club-record 17 by the 1957-58
squad.
The Celtics had matched the best-ever season start of the
1963-64 team that eventually won the National Basketball
Association title.
The Pistons held off a late Boston rally and won the game when
Billups converted his free throws after being fouled by Tony
Allen.
"It was playoff-intense, pretty aggressive out there," Detroit
coach Flip Saunders told reporters. "I would say, by far, it was
the most aggressive game this season, with all five guys going
against each other.
"It got a little bit chippy, so it was a little bit of a
playoff-like atmosphere."
In other NBA games, it was: Magic 97, Rockets 92; Kings 102,
Bucks 89; Mavericks 108, Suns 105; Hawks 117, Heat 111 (in
overtime); Knicks 108, Cavaliers 90; Grizzlies 88, Spurs 85;
Warriors 111, Timberwolves 98; Trail Blazers 101, Raptors 96; Bulls
95, Wizards 84; Pacers 102, 76ers 85; Bobcats 98, Jazz 92; and
Hornets 107, SuperSonics 93.
In Boston, Detroit led 85-79 with 3:34 to play but Eddie House
and Ray Allen hit three-pointers to tie the game. The score was
level until the final seconds, when Paul Pierce missed a fadeaway
that would have given Boston the lead.
Rasheed Wallace grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with
1.7 seconds left. On the inbound, Allen fouled Billups, leading to
the winning free throws.
Billups had a game-high 28 points, including 12 in the fourth
quarter, and added eight assists. Richard Hamilton added 21 points
and Wallace nine points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons.
Kevin Garnett led Boston with 26 points and 12 rebounds and Ray
Allen added 24 points. Despite being the losing team, Boston had 49
percent possession to Detroit's 40 percent.
"It's a good lesson for our guys," Boston coach Doc Rivers
said.
Detroit (18-7), the Central Division leaders, won its third
successive game.
In Houston, Dwight Howard had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three
blocks and Orlando took advantage of Tracy McGrady's absence in the
second half to beat Houston.
Yao Ming scored 19 on 7-for-18 shooting and had 17 rebounds in
the first matchup of the season between two of the game's best
centers.
Rafer Alston and Bonzi Wells added 17 points apiece for Houston,
which cut Orlando's lead to one with a late rally before losing for
the sixth time in nine games.
McGrady left with a sore left knee at halftime after going
1-for-10 from the field in the first half. He bruised the knee in
Saturday's loss to Dallas.
In Milwaukee, Ron Artest scored 26 points and had eight assists
to help Sacramento beat Milwaukee and finish 3-2 on its five-game
road trip.
Beno Udrih, signed by the Kings on Nov. 1, hit a career-high six
3-pointers to finish with 24 points for Sacramento, which had been
0-9 before the road trip.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily December 21, 2007)