NBA ROUNDUP : Spurs Put the Wraps on Pistons and Win, 85-78

The Detroit Pistons are often considered the best defensive team in the NBA. They won two consecutive NBA titles by stressing defense.

And they played tough defense on national television Sunday, holding the San Antonio Spurs to 85 points on 37.5% shooting.

But the Spurs did even better defensively and won, 85-78, at San Antonio.

The Pistons made only 33 of 98 shots (33.7%), and almost went without a field goal the final 7:19 of the game. Their only basket during that span came with four-tenths of a second left.

The 78 points and 33.7% shooting were season lows for the Pistons.

“They played great defense,” Detroit Coach Chuck Daly said.

The Spurs led only 68-66 with 9:39 to play when David Robinson triggered the key run of the game, scoring three points as San Antonio went on an 8-2 spurt. Robinson finished with a game-high 25 points.

A feud between Spurs Coach Larry Brown and Terry Cummings was the topic of a report on NBC-TV’s pregame show. NBC’s Peter Vecsey quoted Cummings as saying Brown was the most negative coach he had ever seen and suggested the Spurs were winning in spite of Brown.

After the game, Cummings denied he is in a feud with Brown.

“I don’t remember commenting on anything like that,” Cummings said. “I don’t think that’s the thing we need to focus any attention on. Coach is coach. I don’t want it taken out of context with a negative comment.”

Portland 117, Charlotte 102--The Trail Blazers were crediting their defense after beating the Hornets at Portland.

“The defense triggers everything for us,” said Clyde Drexler, who scored 20 of his 27 points in the first half. “And that’s when we are dangerous.”

The Blazers had eight blocked shots and 13 steals, most of those in the first half. Portland closed out the second quarter with an 18-8 surge, and outscored Charlotte 28-18 in the quarter.

Portland, which extended a 10-point halftime lead to 97-75 after three quarters, is 8-0 against the third-year Hornets and 26-1 against the four recent expansion teams.