Hamilton’s hot shooting leads Pistons past New Jersey

Chauncey Billups finished with 20 points and eight assists for Detroit, which has won three of its last four games and 11 of 13 to open the season.

Tayshaun Prince added 17 points and Rasheed Wallace chipped in 16 in the win.

Vince Carter scored a team-high 27 points for the Nets, who were shooting for their 1,000th win in franchise history.

Richard Jefferson posted a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while center Nenad Krstic put in 13 points for New Jersey, which had a two-game win streak snapped.

Following a dismal second quarter, the Pistons roared back to outscore the Nets 27-18 in the third and take a 67-63 lead. Billups hit a three-pointer and was fouled in the act of shooting with 1:41 to play in the stanza. He made the ensuing free throw to complete the four-point play.

Wallace later hit a jumper with 4:49 to play in the game to extend Detroit’s lead to eight points.

New Jersey pulled to within six late, but Hamilton dropped in a three-pointer with just over two minutes left and Billups followed with a three of his own the next time down the floor to ice the game.

The Nets trailed by seven after the first 12 minutes of play, but outscored the Pistons 24-12 in the second quarter to assume a 45-40 halftime lead.

New Jersey’s defense held the Pistons to just 3-of-18 shooting in the frame, while the offense outscored its opponent 14-2 in the paint.

Carter had 10 points in the second quarter, including a driving layup with 4.7 second left that stretched the Nets lead to five.

Game Notes

New Jersey’s Jason Kidd had five assists and is now 10 helpers shy of supplanting current Philadelphia 76ers head coach Maurice Cheeks (7,392) for eighth place on the all-time list...Since entering the NBA in 1976-77, the Nets have posted a 999-1362 mark...Detroit is 7-1 on the road this season...New Jersey is now 4-3 at home.