Pistons Give Up 100 but Keep Winning

The Detroit Pistons think they may have played their best on Sunday night.

Chauncey Billups scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, and the Pistons won their eighth consecutive game despite giving up 100 points for the first time this season, beating the Dallas Mavericks, 115-102, at Auburn Hills, Mich.

“This is really close to where we want to be,” Billups said. “This is a glimpse of where we think we can get to. We can’t play this well every night, but this is what we want.”

Detroit, which hadn’t won eight in a row since the 1990-91 season, had its NBA-record streak of not giving up 100 points ended at 38 games, including 36 this season. The Mavericks started the game ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 101.6 points.

“I don’t really think we’re going to miss the 100-point streak, as long as the winning streak keeps going,” Ben Wallace said. “If we keep playing like this, good things are going to happen to this team.”

The Pistons beat Dallas at their own game, making 13 of 20 three-point shots, including seven by Billups and five by Chucky Atkins, and finishing with a season-high point total. Dallas was five for 24 on three-pointers.

“We just can’t guard anyone right now,” said Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, who had 14 points and 15 rebounds. “They were on fire from three-point range. They lit us up for 115 points, and that really puts a strain on the offense.”

Atkins had 18 points for Detroit, and Wallace had a season-high 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Steve Nash led Dallas with 18 points.

“We really could do nothing to stop them,” Dallas Coach Don Nelson said. “I was pretty excited about the first half, and thought we were going to get a great road win, but we didn’t sustain the effort.”

The score was tied at 55 after an up-tempo first half.

Sacramento 117, Denver 106 -- Peja Stojakovic had 33 points and eight rebounds in the Kings’ 14th consecutive home victory over the Nuggets.

The Kings’ Brad Miller was ejected with 7:03 left for arguing with the officials.

Andre Miller scored a season-high 30 points, and rookie Carmelo Anthony had 22 points and 12 rebounds -- and seven turnovers.

Boston 97, Houston 93 -- Paul Pierce scored 27 points, and Jiri Welsch and Walter McCarty each had 21 at Houston as the Celtics won in Texas for the first time since Feb. 18, 2000.

Jim Jackson had 26 points for Houston, whose five-game winning streak ended. The Rockets had won the last six over the Celtics in Houston.

Toronto 83, Portland 72 -- Vince Carter had 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four blocked shots as all five Raptor starters scored in double figures in a victory at Toronto.

Jeff McInnis had 20 points for the Trail Blazers, who tied a season low with a 33-point first half and played their second straight game without Rasheed Wallace, who has a sprained ankle.