Pistons Haunted by Wells

A couple of familiar faces did in the Detroit Pistons as Bonzi Wells had a season-high 28 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Steve Smith added 21 points as the Portland Trail Blazers won, 103-96, Sunday night at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Wells was drafted by Detroit in 1998, then traded to Portland before training camp that year for a first-round pick. Smith is a Detroit native who starred in college at Michigan State.

“Thanks Detroit. We thank you all for giving him to us,” Portland point guard Damon Stoudamire said of Wells.

“That could’ve been your No. 2 scorer.”

The Trail Blazers won a day after their 10-game winning streak ended in a 91-78 defeat at New York.

The Pistons have lost five in a row and eight of their last nine.

Detroit’s Jerry Stackhouse scored 41 points on 13-for-18 shooting and moved past the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant for the league scoring lead with a 29.8 average. Bryant, whose team was off Sunday, is at 29.6.

“Right now, I think I need to stay as a stabilizing force, but I’m really caught in between,” Stackhouse said. “I hate this.”

Wells hurt the Pistons with an array of perimeter shots along with layups and dunks. He was 12 of 14 from the field and made both of his three-pointers, while adding three steals, two assists and a blocked shot.

But he said he had no particular desire to show up the Pistons.

“I never even suited up for that team,” Wells said. “I just come out and try to play hard regardless of who we’re playing.”

Stackhouse wasn’t quite buying that.

“Guys always play well when they play against teams that trade them,” Stackhouse said. “I think that was the case tonight.”

Smith’s high school, Detroit Pershing, is about 45 miles south of the Pistons’ home court, while Michigan State is about 75 miles west.

“I love coming back here because this will always be home,” he said. “A lot of friends and family got to come out and see me play, which is always nice.”

Rasheed Wallace added 16 points for Portland, which ended a five-game trip on which it went 4-1.

Seattle 106, Phoenix 87--Gary Payton outscored Jason Kidd, 22 to three, and the SuperSonics scored the first 14 points of the game at Phoenix and raced to their fourth win in a row.

Ruben Patterson added 25 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle, which led, 59-40, at halftime. Following the SuperSonics’ quick start, Phoenix never got closer than six points.

It was supposed to be a battle of perhaps the two best point guards in the NBA, but the matchup was as one-sided as the game itself.

Payton, who shot nine-for-22 from the field, also had nine rebounds and six assists. Kidd, whose only points came on a three-pointer with 10:33 to play, went one-for-seven on field goals.

Miami 90, Chicago 81--Eddie Jones scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter at Miami as the Heat handed the Bulls their fourth loss in a row.

Trailing by seven points early in the fourth quarter, the Heat went on a 20-4 run--including scoring 12 unanswered points at one point. Miami outscored Chicago, 27-13, in the final quarter.

Tim Hardaway, held scoreless for three quarters, made two key three-pointers in the fourth quarter for the Heat for his only baskets of the game. The first gave Miami the lead for good, at 76-74 with 7:28 remaining.

Toronto 107, Charlotte 99--Vince Carter scored 40 points, 18 of them on three-pointers, and the Raptors defeated the Hornets at Toronto for their third consecutive victory.

Tracy Murray, acquired from Denver on Friday, added three of Toronto’s season-high 14 three-pointers on 21 attempts.