NBA Game Summary - Detroit at Denver

Denver, CO (Basketball News) - Rasheed Wallace scored 20 points and hauled down 10 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 97-66 pounding of the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center.

Corliss Williamson scored 14 points while Lindsey Hunter posted 13 with eight assists for the Pistons. Chauncey Billups scored only two points, but handed out a season-high 13 assists, as Detroit won for the sixth time in seven games.

"It was a good game for us against a team that was struggling," said Billups. "It seemed like [the Nuggets] gave up in the third quarter."

Voshon Lenard, Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Earl Boykins, Rodney White and Jon Barry each scored eight points for Denver, which did not have a player in double figures and has lost seven of its last eight games.

This contest marked the first time since Denver joined the NBA before the 1976-77 season that the team finished a game without a double digit scorer.

"Just plain and simple, they kicked our butts in every way tonight," Denver head coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "It’s a good thing we play tomorrow night. It gives us a chance to get our pride back in terms of fighting back."

Denver was still in the game early on, as it overcame a deficit as large as six points to end the first quarter tied 21-21.

The Nuggets actually led 34-33 on a Nene dunk midway through the second period, but the Pistons turned on the jets from there. Detroit closed out the half on a 23-3 run, building its lead at the half to 19 points at 56-37.

Wallace had 14 points at the break to lead all players, while Camby and Anthony each scored eight to set the pace for the Nuggets.

The game held little drama the rest of the way. Tayshaun Prince’s dunk one minute into the second half gave the Pistons their first 20-plus point lead at 58-37.

Then, the Pistons eliminated any doubt of the outcome over the next five minutes. A 15-2 surge, capped by a Williamson layup midway through the third, gave the Pistons an insurmountable 34-point advantage at 73-39.

Detroit ended the third quarter ahead 28 points at 75-47, and for good measure, scored the first 10 points of the fourth on the way to the rout.

The Pistons accomplished the overwhelming performance despite playing without leading scorer Richard Hamilton, who underwent surgery for a broken nose on Tuesday.