Jimcs50
04-10-2005, 07:06 PM
MIAMI (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal was on the bench in a suit, still recovering from a nasty stomach virus. Dwyane Wade played his worst game of the season.
And the Detroit Pistons happily took advantage of the Miami Heat's lack of star power.
Richard Hamilton scored 17 points, Tayshaun Prince added 16 and the Pistons stymied Miami for three quarters, saw a 20-point lead trimmed to four down the stretch but held on to win 80-72 on Sunday and end the Heat's franchise-record 18-game home winning streak.
With O'Neal out for a third straight game and Wade unable to get anything started, the Heat set season lows for scoring in a game, half and quarter, established another low by shooting 34.6 percent and have lost two straight for just the fourth time all season.
"Anytime you win at 1 o'clock on a Sunday in Miami, it's a tough game to win," said Pistons coach Larry Brown, whose team has won six straight. "They never gave up. I hope we are fortunate to play them in another series. It would be a great matchup."
The win moved Detroit within one game of clinching the Central Division title. Barring a total collapse, the Pistons will be seeded No. 2 behind Miami in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Eddie Jones had 19 points for Miami, which hurt itself by shooting 14-for-26 from the foul line. Wade had only five points on 1-for-6 shooting before fouling out with 4:13 left, ending his streak of 51 consecutive games in double figures.
"We went at him with five. We didn't have just one guy guarding him," Hamilton said. "We did key on him and did a good job with that."
Wade's streak started after he went scoreless in 18 minutes before leaving a game against Washington with an ankle injury. He scored at least 11 points every other game this season.
"He played 21 minutes and had a bad night on top of that," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "This team wasn't really built to play without both of those guys."
Wade declined comment after the game, saying only through a team spokesman that "if I talk, I'm going to get fined." He fouled out for just the fourth time this season in addition to drawing a technical in the third quarter.
Udonis Haslem scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Alonzo Mourning -- who started in place of O'Neal -- had 10 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Ben Wallace had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit, which outscored the Heat 38-22 in the paint.
"Over seven games, a team gets a chance to learn what you're made of and make counters," Wallace said. "Neither team can win a championship tonight. We just want to finish the season strong and get ready."
What once looked like a certain Detroit rout turned interesting in the fourth.
Miami went on a 22-8 run to get to 66-60 on Eddie Jones' 3-pointer with 7:03 remaining. Damon Jones' 3-pointer with 1:12 left drew the Heat to 74-70, but he missed another try from behind the arc 25 seconds later -- and the Pistons escaped.
"We ran into a couple bumps in the road," Haslem said. "We didn't shoot the ball well, didn't play 48 minutes and that's what it comes down to."
The Pistons used an 18-4 second-quarter run to build an 11-point lead. By halftime, it was 42-30, with Miami setting season marks for futility on several levels.
The Heat's first-half total was five less than Friday's figure in Memphis -- the previous season-worst. The 10 second-quarter points was one fewer than Miami got in the fourth against Dallas on Nov. 11. And the 31.7 percent effort from the floor matched the Heat's one-half worst this year.
The Heat's previous low-scoring effort was 77, also against Detroit on Nov. 26.
"I don't care who the opponent is," Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace said. "We match up with anybody."
Game notes
How bad was the Heat's first half? Miami has scored 30 or more points in 59 quarters this season. ... Pistons guard Chauncey Billups left the court with 5:22 left in the third quarter with blood running down the right side of his face. He returned in the fourth, with a Band-Aid covering the wound. ... Since a four-game losing streak in January, Detroit has won 26 of 35 games. ... Miami trailed Memphis by 30 on Friday and Detroit by as many as 20 on Sunday. Before this weekend, the Heat had trailed by double-digits in consecutive games on only two other occasions all season. ... Ben Wallace was 0-for-6 from the field in the opening quarter, missing a dunk, an open layup and airballing a 25-footer to end the period. ... Mourning's last start for the Heat was April 17, 2002.
And the Detroit Pistons happily took advantage of the Miami Heat's lack of star power.
Richard Hamilton scored 17 points, Tayshaun Prince added 16 and the Pistons stymied Miami for three quarters, saw a 20-point lead trimmed to four down the stretch but held on to win 80-72 on Sunday and end the Heat's franchise-record 18-game home winning streak.
With O'Neal out for a third straight game and Wade unable to get anything started, the Heat set season lows for scoring in a game, half and quarter, established another low by shooting 34.6 percent and have lost two straight for just the fourth time all season.
"Anytime you win at 1 o'clock on a Sunday in Miami, it's a tough game to win," said Pistons coach Larry Brown, whose team has won six straight. "They never gave up. I hope we are fortunate to play them in another series. It would be a great matchup."
The win moved Detroit within one game of clinching the Central Division title. Barring a total collapse, the Pistons will be seeded No. 2 behind Miami in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Eddie Jones had 19 points for Miami, which hurt itself by shooting 14-for-26 from the foul line. Wade had only five points on 1-for-6 shooting before fouling out with 4:13 left, ending his streak of 51 consecutive games in double figures.
"We went at him with five. We didn't have just one guy guarding him," Hamilton said. "We did key on him and did a good job with that."
Wade's streak started after he went scoreless in 18 minutes before leaving a game against Washington with an ankle injury. He scored at least 11 points every other game this season.
"He played 21 minutes and had a bad night on top of that," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "This team wasn't really built to play without both of those guys."
Wade declined comment after the game, saying only through a team spokesman that "if I talk, I'm going to get fined." He fouled out for just the fourth time this season in addition to drawing a technical in the third quarter.
Udonis Haslem scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Alonzo Mourning -- who started in place of O'Neal -- had 10 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Ben Wallace had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit, which outscored the Heat 38-22 in the paint.
"Over seven games, a team gets a chance to learn what you're made of and make counters," Wallace said. "Neither team can win a championship tonight. We just want to finish the season strong and get ready."
What once looked like a certain Detroit rout turned interesting in the fourth.
Miami went on a 22-8 run to get to 66-60 on Eddie Jones' 3-pointer with 7:03 remaining. Damon Jones' 3-pointer with 1:12 left drew the Heat to 74-70, but he missed another try from behind the arc 25 seconds later -- and the Pistons escaped.
"We ran into a couple bumps in the road," Haslem said. "We didn't shoot the ball well, didn't play 48 minutes and that's what it comes down to."
The Pistons used an 18-4 second-quarter run to build an 11-point lead. By halftime, it was 42-30, with Miami setting season marks for futility on several levels.
The Heat's first-half total was five less than Friday's figure in Memphis -- the previous season-worst. The 10 second-quarter points was one fewer than Miami got in the fourth against Dallas on Nov. 11. And the 31.7 percent effort from the floor matched the Heat's one-half worst this year.
The Heat's previous low-scoring effort was 77, also against Detroit on Nov. 26.
"I don't care who the opponent is," Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace said. "We match up with anybody."
Game notes
How bad was the Heat's first half? Miami has scored 30 or more points in 59 quarters this season. ... Pistons guard Chauncey Billups left the court with 5:22 left in the third quarter with blood running down the right side of his face. He returned in the fourth, with a Band-Aid covering the wound. ... Since a four-game losing streak in January, Detroit has won 26 of 35 games. ... Miami trailed Memphis by 30 on Friday and Detroit by as many as 20 on Sunday. Before this weekend, the Heat had trailed by double-digits in consecutive games on only two other occasions all season. ... Ben Wallace was 0-for-6 from the field in the opening quarter, missing a dunk, an open layup and airballing a 25-footer to end the period. ... Mourning's last start for the Heat was April 17, 2002.