Billups and Pistons trump struggling Sixers

Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince each tallied 16 points for the Pistons, who remained nine games in front of the Miami Heat for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Heat defeated the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, 98-94.

Rasheed Wallace scored 14 points while Ben Wallace added 11 rebounds for Detroit.

Allen Iverson led the Sixers with 28 points and five assists while battling through foul trouble. Chris Webber scored 23 points, while Kyle Korver added 13 off the bench.

Philadelphia lost its third straight game and for the 10th time in its last 12 games. The Sixers’ lead for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference dwindled to 1 1/2 games over the Chicago Bulls.

The Sixers managed to keep the game close well into the third quarter, getting within two points several times, before Detroit got rolling at the end of the period to take over the game.

After five straight points from Webber, including three straight from the charity stripe, the Sixers trailed by three, 71-68, with 2:38 left in the period.

Hamilton then converted a reverse layup and set up Prince for a ferocious alley-oop and the Pistons led by seven at the end of the quarter, 75-68.

McDyess then started the fourth quarter with a turnaround jumper and Lindsey Hunter scored two straight baskets to make it 82-68 less than two minutes into the final stanza.

Rasheed Wallace then drained a trey, completing a 14-0 run that gave Detroit a 17-point lead, 85-68, with 9:51 left to play.

The Sixers managed to get within nine after a 7-0 run, highlighted by a Korver three, made the score 93-84 with 2:37 left to play.

After trading buckets, Billups and Prince knocked down back-to-back jumpers with to give the Pistons a 13 point lead, 99-86, with 1:18 remaining.

The Pistons shot just 38 percent in the first half, but they collected 12 offensive rebounds and forced Philadelphia into nine turnovers to hold a six point lead at the break, 51-45.

Game Notes Hunter scored nine points in just 10 minutes of action for Detroit...Andre Iguodala scored 10 points and collected seven rebounds for Philadelphia...The Sixers shot 50.7 percent from the floor, but committed 19 turnovers...The Pistons swept the season series with the Sixers, 3-0...Philadelphia is now 1-5 in its last six home games...Detroit outrebounded Philadelphia, 39-37.