Gordon scores 23 points, Wallace addsd 16 rebounds as Pistons beat 76ers 88-81

Associated Press

Last update: November 9, 2009 - 6:17 AM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Ben Gordon scored 23 points and Ben Wallace added 16 rebounds, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 88-81 on Sunday.

Wallace had seven of Detroit's 21 offensive rebounds, and added three blocks and three steals. Charlie Villanueva added 16 points.

Andre Iguodala led Philadelphia with 24 points, but the 76ers couldn't overcome missing their last eight field-goal attempts.

Detroit led 43-37 after a first half that saw both offenses struggle, and only 20 offensive rebounds — 13 of them by the Pistons — allowed the teams to reach 80 combined points. Iguodala had 15 in the half for Philadelphia, while Gordon had 10 for Detroit.

The 76ers tied the game early in the second half, but Gordon and rookie Jonas Jerebko led a surge that put Detroit ahead by as many as nine.

Rodney Stuckey's late jumper put the Pistons ahead 64-59 going into the fourth, but Marreese Speights' put-back dunk gave the 76ers their first lead with 7:22 to play. After Stuckey made a free throw, Iguodala hit a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia a three-point edge.

Wallace helped Detroit's last surge with two blocks and another offensive rebound, and Villanueva's runner gave the Pistons an 81-77 lead with 3:09 left. Philadelphia did not score a field goal for the final 6 minutes.

NOTES: Tayshaun Prince (back) missed his fourth straight game, while Richard Hamilton (ankle) was out for the sixth time in a row. Pistons coach John Kuester does not expect either to return within the next week. ... Speights left the game with 4:50 to play after banging knees with a Pistons player under the basket. ... The Pistons had 19 offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, while the 76ers had only 17 offensive boards for the game.

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