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Pistons race past Rockets 93-72
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-01 14:43
Antonio McDyess had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Richard Hamilton also
scored 19, helping the Detroit Pistons snap a five-game road losing streak with
a 93-72 win over the reeling Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Houston Rockets'
Yao Ming (11), from China, is fouled by the Detroit Pistons' Antonio
McDyess, left in the third quarter, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004 in Houston.
[AP] | McDyess scored the Pistons' first 12 points
in the opening 4 1/2 minutes as Detroit jumped out to an early lead and never
trailed, sending the Rockets to their fourth consecutive loss and sixth in the
past eight games.
The Pistons hadn't won away from home since Nov. 8 against the Los Angeles
Clippers but got little resistance from the Rockets. Houston dropped its fifth
straight at the Toyota Center.
McDyess filled in admirably for All-Star center Ben Wallace, who completed a
six-game suspension for his role in the Nov. 19 brawl with the Indiana Pacers.
The Pistons went 3-3 without him, and they certainly didn't need him against the
punchless Rockets.
Houston scored a season-low 72 points, committed 19 turnovers and attempted
16 fewer field goals. The Rockets' 6-10 start is the team's worst since
1999-2000.
In the waning seconds, a group of fans sitting behind the Houston bench began
chanting "Fire Gundy!" Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy looked at the vocal bunch,
nodded at them and continued frowning at his team's miserable performance.
The Rockets were off the court when the game ended.
McDyess continually shook loose of Rockets center Yao Ming, scoring on an
assortment on putbacks and jumpers in the opening minutes. His two-handed dunk
with 7:39 left in the first quarter gave Detroit a 12-4 lead and touched off the
first set of boos from the restless crowd of 15,330.
Hamilton took over from there, hitting a jumper that gave the Pistons a
16-point lead midway through the second quarter.
The Rockets briefly fought their way back, closing to 54-51 on Yao's basket
with 4:17 in the third. But the Pistons quickly pulled away, and Hamilton's free
throws at the end of the quarter put Detroit up by double digits.
Jim Jackson led Houston with 21 points and eight rebounds, Yao added 19 and
Tracy McGrady had 16.
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