Billups Lifts Pistons Over Bucks

Chauncey Billups scored 11 points in overtime to help the Detroit Pistons win their ninth consecutive game, beating the Milwaukee Bucks, 106-102, in overtime Wednesday night at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The victory gave the Pistons (35-5) the fourth-best 40-game record in league history. The Chicago Bulls (1995-96), Philadelphia 76ers (1966-67) and Lakers (1971-72) all started 37-3. No team has started 36-4, and the Bulls went 35-5 in both 1991-92 and 1996-97.

The Pistons had to overcome 41 points from Michael Redd, including 31 in the second half. It matched his career high.

Detroit led, 87-77, with 3 minutes 30 seconds to play, but Redd and Maurice Williams combined for 13 points during a 15-5 run that forced overtime.

Redd and Williams scored six straight points to give the Bucks a 98-94 lead in the extra session, but Rasheed Wallace made a three-point basket and Billups followed with a jumper to give Detroit the lead with 57.8 seconds left.

Wallace then stole the ball from Andrew Bogut, and Billups made a three-pointer to give the Pistons a 102-98 lead.

Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 35 points, and Billups had 21 points and 15 assists.

Washington 89, Boston 87 -- Gilbert Arenas made two free throws with 1.7 seconds left to give the Wizards the win at Boston. In their only other matchup this season, Arenas drew a foul with three seconds left and made two free throws to give the Wizards a 103-102 win Jan. 7.

After a Paul Pierce dunk gave the Celtics an 87-85 lead with 58.5 seconds left, Antawn Jamison made two free throws to tie the score, 87-87.

Pierce then missed two free throws with 38 seconds left. After Haywood fumbled the rebound out of bounds, Ricky Davis missed a jump shot with 12 seconds left before Arenas made the game-winning free throws.

Sacramento 106, New York 102 -- Mike Bibby scored eight of his 35 points in overtime, and Brad Miller had 25 points and 15 rebounds to lead the short-handed Kings at Madison Square Garden.

The Kings -- playing for the second straight night -- used only eight players and got only three points from their bench while winning for the first time on their six-game trip.

Stephon Marbury, who had sat out three games in a row because of a sprained shoulder, scored 22 points in his return to the lineup for the Knicks, who lost their sixth in a row.

Houston 102, Charlotte 78 -- Tracy McGrady scored 29 points in three quarters to help the Rockets end a seven-game home losing streak. The Rockets, the NBA’s second-lowest scoring team, shot 46% (39 of 84) and had 26 assists, a season high for a home game.

Chicago 104, Toronto 88 -- Chris Duhon scored 26 points at Toronto to help the Bulls beat the Raptors for the 12th consecutive time. The Bulls haven’t lost to Toronto since Dec. 6, 2002.

Cleveland 106, Atlanta 97 -- LeBron James had 38 points, nine rebounds and six assists at Atlanta, and the Cavaliers won their third in a row. The Cavaliers were ahead, 94-93, with 3:17 left before closing the game on a 12-4 run.

Seattle 113, Utah 94 -- The SuperSonics won consecutive games for the first time under Coach Bob Hill, beating the Jazz at Salt Lake City.

Seattle improved to 4-7 since Hill took over after Bob Weiss was fired Jan. 3.

Memphis 107, Minnesota 87 -- Pau Gasol broke out of an offensive slump and scored 30 points to lead the Grizzlies at Memphis, Tenn.

Gasol, who had averaged 11.3 points in the last four games and had only eight shots against Miami on Tuesday, made nine of 14 shots and all 12 of his free throws to lead five Grizzlies in double figures.

Dallas 102, Golden State 93 -- The Mavericks, who improved to 4-0 on their five-game trip, had plenty of help from the Warriors, who missed their first 16 shots in the fourth quarter and went 10:42 between baskets.

Denver 97, Portland 94 -- Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points at Portland to help the Nuggets win their seventh in a row. Greg Buckner’s three-pointer with 1:13 left gave them a 97-94 lead -- their biggest of the game.