NBA PLAYOFFS : Pistons Get Bench Help and Defeat Bucks by 20

Isiah Thomas keyed a third-quarter run, and John Salley came off the bench to score 16 points in the final quarter as the Detroit Pistons beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 112-92, Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in their National Basketball Assn. Eastern Conference semifinal series.

It’s the first time the Pistons have ever won their first five playoff games. The series shifts to Milwaukee’s Bradley Center for Games 3 and 4 Sunday and Monday.

“In the second half, we had better defensive rebounds,” Salley said. “That was important. If you don’t get stops and rebounds, you can’t beat Milwaukee.”

The Pistons, leading, 75-68, after three quarters, put the game away in the final 12 minutes as their reserves outscored the Bucks’ bench, 32-7, in the period and by a 61-38 margin in the game. Salley finished with 23 points, and another reserve, Vinnie Johnson, scored 21.

“Salley was outstanding,” Milwaukee Coach Del Harris said. “I haven’t seen him shoot the ball that well from the outside. He was the difference.”

Milwaukee’s Jack Sikma fouled out with 8:26 remaining, and Tony Brown followed him with 29 seconds left.

“Our guys did a good job of holding together in the first half,” Harris said. “But in the end, we weren’t able to withstand the foul problems.”

Detroit’s stinginess with the ball didn’t help the Bucks. The Pistons tied an NBA playoff record with just five turnovers.

The score was tied, 49-49, at halftime. The third quarter opened with fierce defensive action at both ends of the court, resulting in two steels and three successive blocked shots, between Rick Mahorn’s three-point play with 9:53 remaining and a jumper by Thomas that put the Pistons ahead, 58-53, with 7:44 left in the period.

“The thing I said at the half was, ‘Do you remember that video from last year’s NBA Finals?’ ” Detroit Coach Chuck Daly said. “The most often-used phrase in that video was ‘work ethic.’ We had to get back to work ethic.”

Two three-pointers by Milwaukee’s Ricky Pierce brought the Bucks within 72-68 before Dennis Rodman hit a free throw and Johnson sank two more to put Detroit ahead by seven points after three quarters.

Then Salley and the bench took charge. The Piston lead was never fewer than eight points in the final period.

“Salley has really developed the last six or eight games,” Daly said. “He’s really going to the offensive boards, and that’s paid off for him.”

Larry Krystowiak and Pierce, off the bench, each scored 22 points for the Bucks.

The Bucks got 31 points on free throws, but the Pistons made 22 foul shots and outshot Milwaukee, 50.6% to 40.8%.

Milwaukee set an NBA record by shooting 82.1% from the free-throw line during the season.

The Bucks, already hampered by the loss of Terry Cummings with a sprained ankle and Paul Pressey with a shoulder injury, learned during warm-ups that they also would have to play without Paul Mokeski, who was suffering from an upset stomach and a sore right knee.

“They were kind of tired,” Salley said. “It was important, because we kept running them and running them.”