Allan Houston also scored 23 for the Knicks, who won for the second time this season -- but just barely.

Detroit trailed by 22 when the fourth quarter began but pulled within one with 9.6 seconds left. Sprewell hit a pair of free throws with 4.7 seconds to go, and Ben Wallace threw away the ensuing inbounds pass to deprive Detroit a chance to tie.

Wallace grabbed 19 of his 21 rebounds in the second half, thriving on the boards as the Knicks suddenly found themselves unable to make a shot. New York was just 2-for-18 from the field in the fourth, with Sprewell going 0-for-4.

Improving to 2-8, the Knicks avoided having the worst record after 10 games in franchise history.

Richard Hamilton scored 31, Cliff Robinson 19 and Chucky Atkins 14 for the Pistons, who lost starting point guard Chauncey Billups to an ankle injury.

New York made 14 of its first 18 shots, a spree that ended with Howard Eisley's 3-pointer for a 34-18 lead. New York shot 76 percent in the quarter despite getting very little from Sprewell -- three points and two assists in 8 minutes.

Coach Don Chaney said he decided early in the morning to move Sprewell into the starting lineup in place of Shandon Anderson.

"I just felt we need a win real bad. With him starting, we should get out to a jump start -- which we need. I'd rather do it now than later,'' Chaney said.

Billups went down late in the first quarter when he collided with Eisley, and did not return. Atkins played the remainder of the game for Detroit, logging a season-high 41 minutes. There was no immediate word on the severity of Billups' injury.

The Knicks exploited their matchups with the 5-foot-11 Atkins in the second quarter, posting him up with taller players to create easy baskets. Eisley assisted on three straight baskets in a 10-0 run that made it 48-22, and the lead reached 32 on a 3-pointer by Sprewell with 1:35 left before halftime.

Detroit made its charge in the fourth with a 16-2 run that ended with Hamilton catching an inbounds pass and going in from the foul line for an uncontested dunk with 24 seconds left, making it 91-89. Detroit then appeared to force the Knicks into an 8-second violation, but no call was made.

Sprewell made one of two from the line with 12.5 left, and Hamilton again got free for a dunk off the inbounds pass to make it a one-point game with 9.6 remaining.

It took the Pistons 5 seconds to foul Sprewell, and he made both foul shots. Wallace then attempted a baseball pass into traffic, and the ball was deflected away at midcourt.

Game Notes
Ex-Knick Marcus Camby took a thinly veiled shot at Houston when asked whether Sprewell had been made a scapegoat for the team's problems. "He's not the one with the huge, huge contract. He lays it on the line every night. He's not to blame.'' ... One more from Camby, on Antonio McDyess' preseason putdown of Camby before McDyess went down for the season with a knee injury: "He had some slick comment. Two days later he goes down. It's that kharma stuff.'' ... Knicks G Charlie Ward could return Friday at New Orleans. He has missed four games with a bruised leg.