Pistons Beat Nets 92-82 To Snap Skid

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Tayshaun Prince scored 22 points, and the Detroit Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak Friday night with a 92-82 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

Rookie Greg Monroe added a career-high 20 points along with 11 rebounds for Detroit, which led by 13 early in the third quarter after beginning the second half on a 14-5 run. Tracy McGrady scored 16 points for the Pistons, and Ben Gordon added 11.

Anthony Morrow scored 22 points for New Jersey, which lost its 12th straight road game and dropped to 3-24 away from home on the season. Brook Lopez scored 16 points for the Nets.

Detroit led 48-44 after shooting 55 percent from the field in the first half and never trailed in the second.

Rodney Stuckey (right shoulder contusion) sat out his fourth straight game for the Pistons, but they were able to take advantage of matchup problems posed by the 6-foot-9 Prince and the 6-8 McGrady. Prince in particular scored from both the perimeter and in the post.

New Jersey went on a 10-2 run in the third quarter to cut the lead to 64-59, but Detroit scored eight of the game's next 10 points and led by nine heading into the fourth.

Monroe made an acrobatic tip-in while being fouled to make it 84-74 with 4:07 remaining in the game, and McGrady made a shot from about 15 feet to put the Pistons ahead by a dozen.

Morrow played well for New Jersey in what was his ninth game back - and first start - after missing time with a pulled hamstring.

Detroit center Ben Wallace started his first game since Jan. 10. This was only his fifth appearance since then, as he's battled ankle problems and also left the team to tend to a family matter.

Monroe and McGrady combined for nine of Detroit's 14 offensive rebounds, and the Pistons turned the ball over only seven times.

Notes: Richard Hamilton was left off Detroit's active roster after what the team described as an internal decision. Hamilton was benched last month and hasn't played since Jan. 10, but with him inactive, the Pistons had only 10 healthy players Friday. ... The Nets won their first two meetings with Detroit this season, both in New Jersey. ... Lopez played in his 215th consecutive game, one short of tying Mike Gminski and Buck Williams for fourth on New Jersey's career list. ... Before the game, New Jersey coach Avery Johnson was fined $25,000 for improper conduct toward an official during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. ... Wallace scored four points for Detroit, his first points since Jan. 8.