Detroit Pistons Team Report - December 26

(Basketball News) - Richard Hamilton poured in a game-high 25 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 98-93 win over the Indiana Pacers on Christmas Day at Conseco Fieldhouse.

This marked the first meeting between the teams since the disgraceful brawl that took place at The Palace on November 19. Indiana won that fight-marred affair, 97-82. The game had to be stopped because of the fracas and NBA commissioner David Stern showed no mercy as he suspended Indiana’s Ron Artest for the remainder of the season for his part in the incident. Stern also suspended eight other players for their parts in the melee that started on the court and eventually found its way into the seats and included the fans.

Artest’s teammate, Stephen Jackson, received a 30-game suspension, while Indiana All-Star Jermaine O’Neal was originally scheduled to miss 25 contests. However, O’Neal was available for this game after a federal judge upheld an arbitrator’s ruling that reduced the suspension to only 15 games.

Detroit suffered it biggest loss with a six-game suspension to Ben Wallace, whose two-handed shove to Artest’s face instigated the fracas.

Chauncey Billups added 20 points and Tayshaun Prince contributed 18 and eight rebounds for the Pistons, who snapped their two-game losing streak. Rasheed Wallace added 16 points and Antonio McDyess finished with 13 points and eight boards in the win

Detroit made 33-of-81 field goals (41 percent) and hit on 84 percent from the foul line (27-of-32).

The Pistons are off until Monday when they host the New Jersey Nets. In last year’s postseason, Detroit eliminated the Nets in seven games in the Eastern Conference semis.