NBA Game Summary - Detroit at Cleveland

02.27.2006

Cleveland, OH (Basketball News) - Rasheed Wallace scored 24 points and Richard Hamilton added 22, as the Detroit Pistons dominated Cleveland in the fourth quarter, winning 84-72 at Quicken Loans Arena.

Chauncey Billups recorded 15 points and 12 assists for the Pistons, who won their sixth game in a row and completed a home-and-home series sweep of the Cavs.

Detroit, which improved to a league-best 21-7 on the road, limited Cleveland to nine fourth-quarter points.

The Pistons beat the Cavs, 90-78, on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In that game, Wallace sent an elbow to Cleveland’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas, causing the center to receive stitches to close a head wound. On Monday, the NBA fined Wallace $5,000.

"We have a team that plays on the edge," said Detroit head coach Flip Saunders. "You have to have that. All the great teams in this league have been like that."

LeBron James scored 26 points, while dishing out six assists and grabbing four rebounds for the Cavaliers, who lost their fourth game in a row. Ilgauskas recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Cleveland actually grabbed the momentum early in the fourth quarter, scoring four quick points to grab a three point lead just a 1 1/2 minutes into the period.

Detroit answered, though, going on a 9-0 spurt over the next three minutes that squashed any chance for a Cavaliers’ victory. Billups capped the run by scoring three straight free throws after being fouled shooting from three- point territory.

Drew Gooden broke the drought, nailing a jumper that brought Cleveland to within four, 73-69, but the Cavs did not get closer.

Detroit outscored Cleveland 11-3 the rest of the way to seal the victory.

Cleveland tied a season-low for points in a quarter with the nine in the fourth. The Cavs’ 72 total points were also a new season low.

"We played probably three-fourths of a basketball game tonight," said Cleveland head coach Mike Brown. "That team (Detroit) did what they do best, they stepped it up defensively."

Detroit outscored Cleveland 23-19 in the first quarter. Hamilton led the Pistons, scoring 10 of his 22 points in the period.

Down by nine in the second, Cleveland rolled off a 13-3 run to take a one point lead, 32-31, with just over seven minutes to play in the half. James and Ilgauskas combined to score 10 of their team’s points during the run. The Pistons and Cavs then exchanged the lead five times the rest of the period, and Detroit took a two-point advantage into the break, 44-42.

Five minutes into the third, the Cavs rolled off an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 60-56, with 3:25 left to play. James led the way, scoring six of the eight points.

Detroit responded, scoring the next six points to retake the lead, 62-60, with less than two minutes to play. The quarter ended with Detroit leading by one, 64-63.

Detroit won despite shooting just 37.9 percent from the field. Cleveland shot 38.6 percent...Ben Wallace added 12 rebounds while Antonio McDyess scored eight points off the bench for Detroit...Gooden finished with eight points and eight assists...This was Cleveland’s first home loss to a Central Division opponent (6-1)...Ronald Murray started his first game for Cleveland since being picked up in a trade with Seattle. He finished with eight points and four assists.

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