NBA Game Summary - Detroit at Portland

Portland, OR (Basketball News) - Richard Hamilton led six Detroit players in double figures with 20 points, as the streaking Pistons downed the Portland Trail Blazers, 103-93, at the Rose Garden.

Antonio McDyess posted 18 points while Tayshaun Prince added 17 for the Pistons, who won their eighth straight game overall. Chauncey Billups contributed 16 points and Ben Wallace netted 13 in the win.

Damon Stoudamire led the way with 19 points for the Trail Blazers, who have now dropped seven of their last nine games. Zach Randolph added 17 points in the losing effort while Joel Przybilla ended with 10 points and 12 rebounds for Portland.

The Pistons wasted no time as they jumped out to a 15-5 lead near the seven- minute mark of the opening quarter.

Prince put up five points and Rasheed Wallace added a nice jumper before a 17- footer by Hamilton gave Detroit a 10-point lead, which eventually grew to 21-9 over two minutes later.

"This game was decided in the beginning," said Blazers head coach Maurice Cheeks. "They hit shot after shot - our defense wasn’t good enough to stop Hamilton, McDyess and Prince."

However, the Blazers quickly responded with a 12-3 run that brought them back into the game at 24-21. Nick Van Exel keyed the burst with eight points, including two three-pointers.

From there, the Pistons re-took control with a run of their own. A 10-5 spurt was keyed by the Wallaces, as Ben chipped in four points and Rasheed added a pair from beyond the arc for a 34-26 Detroit lead after 12 minutes of action. Rasheed ended the night with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Detroit held onto its lead for most of the second period and eventually took a 10-point lead into the break.

Despite efforts from Stoudamire and Randolph, Portland was simply not able to catch up with the quick visitors, who retained their 10-point lead after the third quarter.

"Defensively, they are one of the best teams in the league," said Przybilla. "It seems like every time you step to the basket, there is always a guy there."

The closest the Trail Blazers got was seven, 94-87, when Ruben Patterson’s layup went in with 3:40 remaining in regulation. Once again a runner in the lane by Randolph brought the hosts within seven at 98-91 just over two minutes later, but it was not to be as the defending champions held on for the win.