Detroit Snaps Seven-Game Slide By Downing Atlanta

By ESPN

Leading the NBA's worst club by 21 points midway through the fourth quarter, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy took no chances.

He sent his starters back in.

"It's been two weeks of hell," Van Gundy said. "I said, `We're going to make sure we get this one.' "

Andre Drummond had 12 points, 19 rebounds and a career-high nine assists, Tobias Harris added 19 points and Detroit snapped a seven-game slide with a 105-91 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night.

Avery Bradley finished with 18 points and Langston Galloway scored 17 as Detroit won for the first time since beating Phoenix on Nov. 29.

Ersan Ilyasova had 23 points, rookie John Collins scored 15 and Dennis Schroder had 10 assists for Atlanta, which dropped to 6-22 and has lost three in a row.

The Pistons never trailed after Galloway's 3-pointer early in the second quarter. They led by 13 at halftime when Galloway hit a 20-footer in the closing seconds and went up by 22 on Reggie Bullock's floater midway through the third.

Van Gundy knew Drummond needed just one assist for his first career triple-double, but said he didn't want to risk an injury to the 6-foot-11, 279-pound center and pulled him out with 1:59 remaining. Drummond was fine with the decision.

"I tried to get one more, but obviously the flow of the game didn't go that way," Drummond said. "But a career night for me, so I'm pretty excited about that."

Detroit recovered from a 103-84 home loss Tuesday to Denver, a performance Van Gundy called one of the worst "I've ever had to coach" in over 850 career games.

Bullock was promoted to the starting lineup after Sunday's 10-point home loss to Boston. He finished with 10 points in 24 minutes against Atlanta.

Collins returned after missing the last six games with a sprained left shoulder. The first-round draft pick from Wake Forest is one of the few reasons for Hawks fans to cheer.

"He brings an athleticism," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. "He brings a pop. Going to the offensive boards, the ability to put pressure on the rim, the pick-and-roll game and defensively, for his first game back, I'm really pleased with how he played."

Thursday, December 14 Scoreboard

Detroit 105, Atlanta 91

New York 111, Brooklyn 104

Cleveland 121, Los Angeles Lakers 112

Minnesota 119, Sacramento 96

Golden State 112, Dallas 97

Friday, December 15 Schedule (All Times Central)

Miami at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Indiana, 6 p.m.

Portland at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Los Angeles Clippers at Washington, 6 p.m.

Utah at Boston, 6:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

New Orleans at Denver, 8 p.m.

San Antonio at Houston, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 16 Schedule (All Times Central)

Portland at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Utah at Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Clippers at Miami, 7 p.m.

Milwaukee at Houston, 7 p.m.

Phoenix at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Dallas at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Boston at Memphis, 8 p.m.

Sunday, December 17 Schedule (All Times Central)

Sacramento at Toronto, 2:30 p.m.

Orlando at Detroit, 3 p.m.

Indiana at Brooklyn, 5 p.m.

Cleveland at Washington, 5 p.m.