Pistons Get First Win for Brown

Chauncey Billups scored 27 points to help the Detroit Pistons win for the first time under new Coach Larry Brown, beating the winless Miami Heat, 93-81, Friday night in Miami.

The Heat fell to 0-3, losing its home opener under new Coach Stan Van Gundy. They are alone in last place in the Atlantic Division.

Brown, hired in June to replace Rick Carlisle, earned his 880th career victory.

Billups, who made only three of 17 shots in the Pistons’ season-opening loss to Indiana on Wednesday, went six for 13, including three three-point attempts.

Richard Hamilton had 24 points, including Detroit’s final 10 after the Heat closed to 83-76.

The 19,600-seat arena was perhaps half full for the first Heat home game since team president Pat Riley abruptly resigned as coach last week. A team spokesman said Riley was in the building, but he stayed out of public view.

The Heat gave fans little to cheer about, falling behind for good less than three minutes into the game. One of the biggest ovations came when several of the World Series champion Florida Marlins were introduced after the first quarter.

The Pistons missed their first six shots in the fourth quarter and the Heat scored eight consecutive points to close within 76-70.

But Billups made a three-point shot for an 83-74 lead with 6:25 left to end the Heat run.

Darko Milicic, Detroit’s 18-year-old forward who was the second overall pick in the June draft, made his NBA debut with 1:23 left. He had two rebounds, two turnovers and a foul.

The Heat topped 75 points for the first time, but they shot only 36% and made only one of nine from three-point range.

Perhaps the low point for Miami was when guard Rafer Alston lost track of the 24-second clock and let it run out while dribbling near center court with two minutes left.