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Wednesday, Dec. 1 9:00pm ET
Hill's 39 points don't help Pistons | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Losing their coach and point guard in the third quarter wasn't enough to stop the Denver Nuggets. Antonio McDyess had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Raef LaFrentz added 19 and a key blocked shot in the final seconds Wednesday night to help Denver beat the Detroit Pistons 100-96. "To do what we did without Nick was unbelievable," said coach Dan Issel, who was ejected along with Nick Van Exel early in the second half. "Unlike the past where we might have folded up, we got big plays from a number of different people." Ron Mercer also had 23 points for the Nuggets, who had lost five straight to Detroit. "A lot of people probably thought that we would self destruct, but that didn't happen," Mercer said. "We came together without our floor leader and coach and didn't lose it mentally." Grant Hill had 39 points for the Pistons, who lost their third straight overall and to Denver for the first time since Dec. 4, 1995. "I thought we gave the game away," Hill said. "It was the same old thing, rebounds, free throws and poor execution." The Pistons led 97-96 with 47 seconds left after two free throws by Hill, who was 13-of-21 from the field and 13-of-17 from the line. Lindsey Hunter drew a charge from Mercer on Denver's next possession, but LaFrentz blocked Hill's shot with 12.1 seconds left. "That play had no bearing on the game," Detroit coach Alvin Gentry said of LaFrentz's block of Hill's shot. "We should have had the game won long before then." George McCloud drew a foul and hit the first shot before missing the second. McDyess tipped the ball back to McCloud, who was fouled and hit two free throws to win it. Denver took a 78-75 lead into the fourth quarter, but Christian Laettner scored seven points in a 9-0 run for the Pistons to open the fourth. McCloud's 3-pointer with 6:06 left cut the Detroit lead to 86-85 and his two free throws and an off-balance jumper by Mercer with 5:37 left gave the Nuggets an 89-86 lead. Trailing 55-53 at halftime, the Pistons tied the game 55-55 on two free throws by Jerry Stackhouse after Van Exel and Issel had received two quick technical fouls each in a 19-second sequence to tie the game at 55-55.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Detroit Clubhouse Denver Clubhouse Ascent confirms death of Nuggets, Avs deal
RECAPS Cleveland 111 Washington 108
Denver 100
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