Spurs Spoil Return of Pistons’ Wallace

With Ben Wallace back in the lineup, the Detroit Pistons almost rallied from a big deficit for a big win.

A bigger night from their big man might have helped.

Wallace returned from a six-game suspension that resulted from last month’s brawl involving the Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and fans in Detroit, but he couldn’t stop the San Antonio Spurs.

Tony Parker scored 20 points and Brent Barry made two free throws in the final seconds to send the Spurs to an 80-77 win over Detroit on Friday night in San Antonio.

The Pistons, who dropped below .500 (7-8), nearly pulled off the comeback from a 21-point deficit. Chauncey Billups scored all of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a three-pointer that cut the Spurs’ lead to 78-77 with 7.9 seconds left.

But the Pistons fouled Barry three seconds later and he made both free throws for his only points of the night.

Malik Rose then stole the inbounds pass but missed both free throws. Rasheed Wallace’s desperation three-pointer sailed over the backboard at the buzzer and the Spurs improved to 14-3.

After watching the last six Piston games from home, Ben Wallace played 33 minutes but finished with five points on two-for-nine shooting with nine rebounds. He barely hit the rim on a free throw, and Tim Duncan posted him up before throwing down a dunk in the second.

“I’ve just got to slow down out there,” Wallace said. “My hands are moving faster than my feet.”

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Sacramento 113, Indiana 87 -- Chris Webber scored 29 points at home for the Kings, who won their 10th in 11 games.

Sacramento outrebounded Indiana, 57-28, holding the Pacers without a rebound for the first 7 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Jamaal Tinsley scored 21 points for the Pacers, who lost their third straight with only 10 players in uniform. Indiana was blown out for the first time in its seven games since the brawl in Detroit.

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Orlando 104, New York 98 -- Cuttino Mobley scored 34 points in his second game back from a groin injury to lead the Magic.

In a matchup of first-place teams, Mobley had an offensive rebound and a steal off an inbounds pass during the final 45 seconds to help end New York’s six-game home winning streak.

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Miami 105, Chicago 81 -- When Shaquille O’Neal went to the bench with his fourth foul at the 3:29 mark of the third quarter in Chicago, the Heat had a 72-64 lead. They went on a 14-4 run, including 10 straight, to pull away.

Reserve Christian Laettner scored 23 points for the Heat.

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Minnesota 97, Phoenix 93 -- Kevin Garnett had 23 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists in Phoenix, and Minnesota ended the Suns’ nine-game winning streak.

Sam Cassell scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Timberwolves win their fourth in a row and hand the Suns only their third defeat in 16 games.

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Boston 91, Toronto 89 -- Gary Payton saved his biggest contribution for last, going scoreless for the first time in Boston but stealing the ball in the final seconds to end the Raptors’ hopes.

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Memphis 94, Philadelphia 86 -- Pau Gasol had 34 points and 15 rebounds for the Grizzlies in their first game under new Coach Mike Fratello in Memphis, Tenn.

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Washington 114, Atlanta 90 -- Larry Hughes’ 19 points in Atlanta helped the Wizards go four games over .500 (9-5) for the first time in almost three years.