Pistons Conquer Spurs, 85-70, in Finals Rematch

This was not just another game for Antonio McDyess. He was still stung by the Pistons’ loss in the NBA Finals six months ago.

The reserve forward came through with a season-high 13 rebounds and 10 points in Detroit’s 85-70 victory Sunday over San Antonio, a rematch of the title series and a game between the teams with the two best records in the league this season.

“I was a little more motivated for the win,” McDyess said after his first double-double of the season. “It was my first Finals. To lose like we did, I’m going to remember it for the rest of my life.”

McDyess seemed to take the defeat the hardest because he wasn’t on the team when it won the title two seasons ago.

“He was so close and it sort of slipped away,” teammate Ben Wallace said.

Detroit dominated this defensive game. The Pistons held the Spurs to their lowest-scoring first quarter as they missed 13 of their last 14 shots. Both teams shot about 40%.

“You saw both teams as basically who they are -- meat-and-potato teams,” Detroit Coach Flip Saunders said. “Maybe this is why the game wasn’t hyped as much. This is what basketball was meant to be like -- play defense, play team basketball.”

The Pistons won their seventh straight and improved to an NBA-best 22-3, their best 25-game record in franchise history. The Spurs have lost three of five but are 21-7.

“We were playing a lot closer at the end of the season,” Popovich said. “They’re a little bit ahead of us.”

Detroit’s Chauncey Billups had 20 points and Ben Wallace 10 points and 21 rebounds, the most for him since the 2003-04 season. Rasheed Wallace scored 14 points and Richard Hamilton 11 for the Pistons.

“We’ve had different people carry us at different times,” Saunders said. “That’s what has made this a very good team, and has made us tougher to play against.”

The Pistons have maintained their strong defense while being more aggressive and effective on offense under Saunders. Detroit was coached the previous two years by Larry Brown, now with the New York Knicks.

“Flip has upped their offense,” Popovich said. “He has them really confident in what they’re running offensively, but they’re also one of the best defensive teams in the game.”

San Antonio’s Tony Parker scored 19 points, and Tim Duncan had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

With Manu Ginobili sitting out his eighth straight game because of a sprained right foot, Parker and Duncan had little help.

Reserve Nazr Mohammed had 10 points, and Michael Finley, who replaced Ginobili, had three.