AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) – Jerry Stackhouse scored 32 points as the Detroit Pistons beat the New York 90-85 Wednesday night, surviving a fourth-quarter rally by the Knicks.
The Pistons led by as much as 23 and entered the fourth quarter with a 77-58 lead only to see it almost disappear.
New York got back into the game with a 16-4 run to open the final quarter and to cut its deficit to 81-74 with 5:37 left. The Knicks made it 87-85 with 24.3 seconds left, but they could not get closer in a game they never led.
Detroit's Joe Smith scored 20 points and Chucky Atkins added 16. The Pistons blocked a season-high 12 shots.
New York's Marcus Camby had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Glen Rice scored 16 and Kurt Thomas added 12 off the bench for the Knick, who have lost five consecutive road games.
New York's Allan Houston and Larry Johnson picked up their fifth fouls early in the third quarter. Houston, who fouled out with 22.4 seconds left, finished with eight points while Johnson missed all five of his attempts and did not score.
The Pistons led 20-15 after the first quarter and 45-37 at halftime. Both teams missed 20 of their first 27 shots in the first half.
Detroit went on a 9-0 run early in the third to take a 56-41 lead. It outscored New York 10-1 later in the quarter and led 75-52, its largest lead of the game.
Game Notes
Detroit's Mateen Cleaves, who missed one game, returned to the team for the first time since his brother Herbert Cleaves was killed Sunday in a drive-by shooting in Flint, Mich. ... New York will play its next four games at home.
