Wallace’s 60-foot shot saves game for Pistons

With the Detroit Pistons facing what appeared to be an impossible deficit, Coach Flip Saunders tried to give them a last-second pep talk.

“I told them that strange things happen,” he said. “We might as well try to get something crazy.”

Did they ever.

Rasheed Wallace scooped up a loose ball and made a 60-foot buzzer-beater to force overtime, then scored a key three-point basket to help the Pistons defeat the Denver Nuggets, 113-109, Monday night at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The Nuggets appeared to have the game won as they prepared to inbound the ball at midcourt with a 98-95 lead and 1.5 seconds to play.

But Marcus Camby’s short pass was tipped by Tayshaun Prince, and Wallace gathered the ball and threw up a two-handed shot that banked in as the buzzer sounded.

“We shoot those all the time before the game,” Wallace said. “This one went in, but it isn’t like it won a championship or anything.”

Chauncey Billups led the short-handed Pistons with a season-high 34 points and 10 assists, Wallace scored 22 points and Antonio McDyess had 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Camby led the Nuggets with 24 points and had 13 rebounds, and Nene had 21 points and 17 rebounds.

San Antonio 126, Golden State 89 -- Tony Parker had 20 points and nine assists at Oakland, Michael Finley matched his season high with 20 points and the Spurs earned their 17th victory in 19 games.

Tim Duncan had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who clinched their eighth consecutive 50-win season.

Phoenix 105, Memphis 87 -- Raja Bell made six three-pointers and scored 29 points, Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and the Suns added to the Grizzlies’ woes.

Memphis, the only team eliminated from playoff contention, fell to an NBA-worst 17-54 and 5-30 on the road, also the league’s worst mark.

Orlando 94, New York 89 -- Jameer Nelson made the tying and go-ahead three-pointers and finished with 18 points, and the Magic sent the host Knicks to their season-high fourth consecutive loss.

The Magic moved into sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Stephon Marbury scored 32 points for the Knicks, who have lost six of seven.

Miami 106, Atlanta 89 -- Shaquille O’Neal scored 22 points at Miami to pass Reggie Miller for 12th on the NBA’s career list and the Heat completed a four-game season sweep of the Hawks.

O’Neal began the game 10 points behind Miller’s 25,279 points. He helped the Heat beat the Hawks for the 18th time in the last 21 games between the teams.

Salim Stoudamire had 22 points off the bench for Atlanta.

Boston 95, Toronto 87 -- Paul Pierce scored 23 points and Al Jefferson had 22 points and nine rebounds to help the Celtics end a three-game skid and prevent a season sweep by the Raptors in the series.

The Celtics became the last team with 10 home victories. Boston is a league-worst 10-25 at home.

T.J. Ford scored 28 points for the Raptors, who had won two in a row.

Houston 106, Milwaukee 87 -- Tracy McGrady scored 22 points and had nine assists, and the Rockets won their sixth consecutive home game.

The Rockets are 9-3 since Yao Ming returned from a broken leg. Yao scored 22 points.

Michael Redd scored 26 points for the Bucks, who haven’t won in Houston since 1999, a seven-game skid.

Chicago 100, Portland 89 -- Luol Deng scored a career-high 38 points and the host Bulls won their third game in a row.

Deng, whose previous career high was 32 points, made 18 of 25 shots.

Rookie LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 20 points.

Utah 103, Washington 97 -- Carlos Boozer scored 16 of his career-high 41 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 16 rebounds to help the Jazz win its sixth game in a row at home.

Gilbert Arenas scored 26 of his 32 points in the second half for the Wizards.