Recap: Detroit vs. Philadelphia

By Sports Network

Ben Gordon had 23 points and knocked down a trio of three-pointers, as the Pistons defeated the 76ers, 88-81.

Charlie Villanueva notched 16 points and Rodney Stuckey 13 for the Pistons, who had lost two in a row and four of five since a season-opening win against Memphis.

Ben Wallace brought down a game-high 16 rebounds and added three steals and three blocks to the victory. Will Bynum had eight points with the same amount of assists and rebounds.

Detroit's recent stretch has come without the services of guard Richard Hamilton, the team's leading scorer for the last seven years, having sprained his right ankle in the season-opener.

The last four games have also come without the aid of forward Tayshaun Prince, who ruptured a disc in his lower back and is out indefinitely.

"Every win we get right now, especially with our two starters out, is a big win for us," Gordon said. "Things could have gone either way...but we gutted it out and did what we needed to to win the game."

Andre Iguodala finished with 24 points, six boards, four assists and as many steals for the Sixers, who came in winners in three of four.

Marreese Speights checked in with 15 points and six rebounds while Willie Green had 13 points in the loss.

"I don't care who they're missing, you're on the road in an NBA game -- you have to do everything right if they're playing at a high level. We just were short one ingredient and that was rebounding," remarked Sixers coach Eddie Jordan.

Down six to start the second half, Philadelphia tied the game at 52 on an 11-2 run that ended with a Thaddeus Young tip-in at the 5 1/2-minute mark of the third.

Gordon hit a three-pointer and followed with a jumper to push the Pistons' lead to nine a short time later before the visitors got back within 64-59 entering the fourth.

The Sixers made inroads to the deficit as Green scored six of Philly's first nine points, cutting the lead to one, and back-to-back Speights buckets allowed for a 72-71 lead just past 7 1/2 minutes to play.

An Iguodala three-ball and subsequent Green deuce stretched the lead to four, but Detroit responded with the next eight points as Villanueva dropped through a layup for an 81-77 advantage with three minutes to go.

The surge morphed into a 12-2 run and Detroit took control by six approaching the final minute.

Iguodala was awarded with a trip to the line with the clock showing 38.1 seconds, but missed both free throws, and Bynum hit one for an 86-79 game with 28 seconds left.

Iguodala was inexplicably fouled by Stuckey while attempting a three-pointer on the Sixers' next possession and hit two, but the Pistons emerged victorious by taking care of their trips to the line in the waning seconds.

Detroit held a 23-19 lead after the opening 12 minutes and took a six-point edge, 43-37, into halftime. Gordon struck for a pair of three-pointers and led the Pistons with 10 points while the Sixers were bolstered by Iguodala's 15 first-half points.

Game Notes