Pistons Rout Pacers 122-91

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 12, 1998 / 12:53 AM EST / CBS Sportsline

In a season of steady success, the Indiana Pacers hadn't had a letdown like this.

Grant Hill had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to a surprising 122-91 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Detroit's point total was its highest of the season and the most allowed by the Pacers, who hadn't lost by more than 12 this season.

Â"We just didn't come to play tonight,Â" Indiana coach Bird said. Â"This was a game that Detroit just played by themselves, and that's disappointing.Â"

Detroit jumped out to a 24-point lead at halftime, scoring a season-high 68 points, and cruised from there.

The Pistons led 96-63 after three quarters and for a time appeared on the way to a team record for victory margin. Coincidentally, that mark of 46 was set in a 119-73 victory over the Pacers in 1987.

Detroit got the lead to 37 before Indiana made a slight comeback.

Brian Williams added 20 points for Detroit and Jerry Stackhouse had 19. Dale Davis led Indiana with 15 and Rik Smits and Reggie Miller had 14 each.

Hill scored 14 points in the first quarter as Detroit took a 30-24 lead.

The lead was only 36-28 when Detroit blew the game open.

Joe Dumars made a technical-foul free throw and then scored the next four points as Detroit went on a 21-3 run. Stackhouse had six points in the surge.

Â"Yes, we did shoot well, but I still think we won the game with our defense,Â" Detroit coach Alvin Gentry said. Â"We scored 25 points on the fast break, and those are points forced by good defense and good rebounding. When you get 25 on the break, you are going to score over 100 for the night.Â"

NOTES: Detroit set a team record by making 22 straight free throws in the first half. The first miss was by Jerry Stackhouse with 45 seconds left in the half. ... Chris Mullin didn't get off a single shot in nine first-half minutes. ... Indiana picked up three technical fouls, two for illegal defenses and one on Reggie Miller for protesting a call. ... Lindsey Hunter was the only Piston who did not score. He started, and missed all five field-goal attempts in 23 minutes.