Partnerforenbewerbung » The Detroit Pistons are still one of the wors

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons are still one of the worst fourth-quarter teams in the NBA. Friday, they found a solution to the problem. Detroit dominated Brooklyn for two-and-a-half quarters, building a 29-point lead, then held on for dear life as the Nets cut the lead to single digits in the waning moments. Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said after the game that he thinks his team has developed a mental block when it comes to holding leads down the stretch. "You can get one of those," he said. "Fortunately, we had a huge lead tonight, but that is still something we really need to work on. I think we need to win a couple games in the fourth quarter and find some confidence." Brooklyn trailed 96-63 heading into the fourth, but Detroits offence stalled yet again. Jason Kidd didnt play his starters at all in the final period, but Jason Terry hit a pair of 3-pointers and Mason Plumlee got open for three dunks to get the Nets within 102-92 with 1:57 to go. "We could not get a rebound or a stop, so I was trying to find guys who can play," Kidd said. "The guys who were out there playing continued to execute and we finally got some stops." Rodney Stuckey hit a 17-foot baseline jumper on Detroits next possession, then hit a pair of free throws to stave off a complete collapse. "We were bleeding at that point, so we really needed those points," Cheeks said. "We stopped pushing the ball in the fourth, and they started making shots, so that made it even harder to run." Brandon Jennings made a run at a rare quadruple double, and could have had a regular triple-double if he had managed a single second-half assist. He finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and eight turnovers. Andre Drummond added 16 points and 22 rebounds, even hitting two free throws with 36.5 seconds to go after missing his first six attempts. Josh Smith had with 23 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four blocks before leaving the game with 4:39 to play. Cheeks said Smith twisted his ankle, but the team wasnt sure of the severity. The Nets were resting Kevin Garnett, and the starting lineup struggled badly, combining for just 42 points. Terry led the team with 18, all in the second half, while Plumlee also got his 10 points after halftime. Joe Johnson added 16 as the one bright spot among Brooklyns starters. "We knew what we had to do against them -- rebound and get back in transition defence," Nets point guard Deron Williams said. "We just werent ready to play tonight. Our energy wasnt there, our effort wasnt there and they seemed to have another gear than we did." With Garnett on the bench, the Nets had no answer for Detroit inside. When the Pistons werent feeding Drummond, Smith and Greg Monroe in the post, Stuckey and Jennings were driving to the basket with ease. Brooklyns struggles peaked early in the second quarter when Smith was swooping in for a fast-break dunk and Mirza Teletovic swiped at the ball, but caught Smith in the face. Teletovic was given a flagrant foul, giving Smith two chances to make one free throw to complete the three-point play. He made it on the second try and Detroit kept the ball because of the flagrant foul. Chauncey Billups, playing for the first time since Jan. 10, sent a behind-the-back pass to set up Drummond for an easy dunk and a five-point possession. That put the Pistons up by 20, and they were ahead 67-44 at the intermission. The Nets, who were outshot 62 per cent to 31 per cent in the half, didnt get much better in the third quarter, with a series of turnovers leading to Detroit fast breaks. At that point, the Pistons seemed in complete control, but that just isnt the way they play. "Once a team cuts it to 20, that should get your attention," Billups said. "Thats when you should kick back into a more focused gear." NOTES: The Pistons announced before the game that reserve forward Josh Harrellson will be sidelined until after the All-Star break with a slight tear of his left meniscus. ... Kidd was the last NBA player to reach double figures in points, assists, rebounds and turnovers in the same game, doing it for Phoenix in 2000. ... Will Bynum did not play after getting into an argument with Cheeks during Detroits last game. Cheeks said he simply wanted to get Billups back into the rotation. Mike White Cowboys Jersey . Raonic, the mens No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., needed more than three hours to overcome Frenchman Gilles Simon 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 and become the first Canadian man into the fourth round at Roland Garros. Custom Cowboys Jerseys . The Big Man finished 3-1 in Week 19, and sits at 53-24 on the season. Now Schultz is ready for more action. http://www.thecowboysfansmall.com/c-103-...-jr-jersey.aspx. 1. AMIR JOHNSON: Nice to see him back in the lineup Tuesday night in Washington DC. Played with great energy and purpose. Its amazing when a guy gets those few precious days to recover what it does to the bounce in their step and overall game/confidence. Bo Scarbrough Cowboys Jersey .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps. Leighton Vander Esch Jersey . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Archer didnt need much run support for the struggling Tampa Bay hitters. Archer allowed three hits in 6 2/3 innings, Kevin Kiermaier and Evan Longoria homered on consecutive pitches, and the Rays beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Thursday night. "Tonight he was dominant," Tampa Bay catcher Ryan Hanigan said of Archer. Archer (4-4) struck out eight and walked two to help the Rays win for the sixth time in the last 23 games. "It makes a huge difference when youre pitching ahead," Archer said. "Just getting strike one is key and thats what tonight was proof of." Three Tampa Bay relievers completed a three-hitter, sending Houston to its fourth straight loss. Kiermaier hit a two-run homer before Longoria had a solo drive off Paul Clemens in the seventh. Collin McHugh (4-5) gave up two unearned runs and four hits over six innings on his 27th birthday. "Hes got weapons," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Hes got know-how too." The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Yunel Escobars run-scoring single and a bunt by Hanigan. Tampa Bay got a break when shortstop Jonathan Villar dropped a throw on Brandon Guyers potential double-play grounder after a leadoff single by James Loney. "You look at the quality of pitches he was throwing at that point, he pretty much was in control of the game," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "It was a groundball, double-play ball that we end up not recording a single out. Now it turns it into a pretty stressful inning.dddddddddddd" Jose Altuve opened the Houston fourth with an infield single and swiped second, but was left stranded. The Astros also failed to score during the sixth when Altuve singled and stole his AL-high 26th base. One day after loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and not scoring in a 2-0 loss to Baltimore, the Rays failed to capitalize during the opening frame Thursday despite having runners on first and third and no outs. McHugh struck out Kiermaier and Longoria before getting a comebacker from Loney. Ben Zobrist, 1 for his last 37 with runners in scoring position, popped out, Kiermaier struck out and Longoria hit a liner to third after the first two Rays drew walks in the third. "We had plenty of opportunities early," Maddon said. "It finally kicked in late." NOTES: The Rays placed OF David DeJesus on the 15-day DL with a broken left hand. DeJesus expects his hand will be in a splint for three weeks. ... Guyer (broken left thumb) was activated from the 15-day DL. ... Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) will need at least one more minor league start. Hellickson has made three rehab starts, including the last two at Triple-A where he has allowed 11 runs and 18 hits over a combined five innings. ... Houston RHP Brad Peacock, (food poisoning), Saturdays scheduled starter, rejoined the team. ... Rays LHP David Price (5-6) and Astros RHP Jarred Cosart (6-5) are Friday nights starters. Cosart beat Price, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, in his big league debut last July 12. 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