NBA Game Summary - Toronto at Detroit

Auburn Hills, MI (Basketball News) - Chauncey Billups scored 23 points and Tayshaun Prince contributed 21 as Detroit downed Toronto, 103-92, at the Palace at Auburn Hills.

Richard Hamilton added 20 points while Rasheed Wallace compiled 18 points and 13 rebounds to help the Pistons to their fourth straight win overall and 11th triumph in a row at home.

"When your’e a good team or a great team, you have to establish dominance at home," said Billups. "I think most of the good teams are doing that this year."

Detroit, which outrebounded the Raptors by a 55-40 margin, received 15 boards from Ben Wallace on the night.

Donyell Marshall racked up 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who fell to 7-26 on the road this season. Jalen Rose netted 24 points and Rafer Alston had 16 along with eight rebounds as Toronto dropped its second straight.

"Anytime you are playing against the world champs on their home floor, it is tough," Rose said. "It is a game of runs. Unfortunately for us, we did not make a run and try to keep those guys on their heels."

The Raptors were without forward Chris Bosh, who missed his first game of the year with a lower back injury suffered in Wednesday’s defeat to Boston.

The Pistons built a 34-23 lead after one quarter on the strength of a 14-3 run highlighted by a pair of three-pointers from Billups, who poured in 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting for the period.

"Chauncey has been playing great for us the last four or five ball games," said Detroit acting head coach Gar Heard. "He came out and set the tone."

The margin grew to 15 points after Hamilton’s tip-in with just over two minutes elapsed in the second quarter made the score 40-25. Detroit maintained a double-digit advantage until Rose buried a triple at the first-half buzzer to bring Toronto within 54-46 at the break.

Billups then began the third quarter with a layup and a three-pointer to extend Detroit’s lead to 59-46. Later in the frame, consecutive baskets by Ben Wallace started a 10-2 spurt which put the hosts ahead comfortably, 78-60, with under three minutes to go.

The Raptors cut their deficit down to nine when Rose hit a three-pointer to bring Toronto within 83-74 with 9 1/2 minutes to play. His dunk with 7:54 remaining made it a seven-point game 85-78.

Detroit continued to hold a seven-point edge with under four minutes left, then went on a 6-0 run capped by two made free throws from Prince to extend the lead to 95-88. Layups by Alston and Morris Peterson got it down to nine heading into the final minute, but Hamilton sealed the win by knocking down an outside jumper with 47 seconds remaining.