Webber paces Pistons past Nuggets

Rasheed Wallace finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Pistons, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Chauncey Billups netted 16 points and Richard Hamilton added 14.

Allen Iverson finished with a team-best 19 points but was just 5-of-13 from the field for Denver, which has dropped three of four. Carmelo Anthony, who missed the team’s last game after the birth of his son, ended with 17 points and seven rebounds.

The clubs fought to a 47-47 halftime tie, but Detroit outperformed Denver 27-15 in the third quarter to gain control.

Neither team was able to gain a healthy separation early in the stanza, but the Pistons ripped off a 19-5 run to turn a three-point advantage into a 72-55 lead.

Billups scored four straight points to push the lead to double digits, then after a Nene layup, Tayshaun Prince nailed a three-pointer to make it 66-55 with 3:46 on the clock. That was the start of nine straight points for the road team, which Antonio McDyess polished off with a jumper.

After three quarters, Detroit led 74-62.

The Nuggets trimmed the deficit to 80-74 with about seven minutes left in the game after three straight three-pointers — the first by Iverson before Linas Kleiza hit back-to-back treys.

Detroit rattled off the next six points of the game, however, to keep Denver at arm’s length.

Game Notes

Detroit is 19-10 on the road this season and will also visit the Clippers, SuperSonics, Trail Blazers and Suns on this current five-game road swing...Denver is 16-17 at home on the year and will visit Sacramento on Sunday before starting a three-game homestand.