Nets Lose 3rd Straight, Pistons Win 5th

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chauncey Billups made two free throws with 7.2 seconds left to give the Detroit Pistons their fifth straight win, a 92–91 victory over the Nets last night.

Billups, who missed nine of his 10 shots from the floor, was fouled byVince Carter on a fast break after Jason Kidd missed a 3-pointer that could have clinched the game.

On the ensuing possession, Carter missed a pull-up jumper with 1.5 seconds to go after a collision that knocked Rasheed Wallace to the court. Nets coach Lawrence Frank argued the call and had to be restrained by assistant coaches from going after the officials at the buzzer.

The Pistons got 21 points apiece from Wallace and Richard Hamilton. Carter had 28 and Richard Jefferson added 18 for the Nets, who have lost three in a row. Kidd finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

The Nets took a 60–58 lead on Carter’s 3-pointer with five minutes left in the third, and were still up 68–67 at period’s end. Carter and Kidd combined for 18 points in the period.

Carter kept going in the fourth, scoring eight points in the first four minutes to help the Nets take an 80–73 lead.

The Pistons rallied to tie it at 81 on Hamilton’s 3-pointer with 5:17 left, and after Jason Collins’ jumper, Hamilton put Detroit in front with a three-point play.


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