Grizzlies Dominate 2nd Half To Beat Pistons 112-84
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Jon Leuer matched a career high with 23 points, Zach Randolph had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies dominated the second half to beat the Detroit Pistons 112-84 on Sunday afternoon.
Memphis had six players in double figures, including 15 from former Piston Tayshaun Prince.
Greg Monroe led Detroit with 19 points, while Andre Drummond added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
The Pistons lost their fourth straight and fifth in a row at home. They are now 4-10 after a 10-10 start to the season.
The Grizzlies continued to alternate wins and losses, going 3-2 in their last five without back-to-back victories or defeats.
Both teams were short-handed in the backcourt. Detroit's Rodney Stuckey (shoulder) missed his second straight game, while Tony Allen (hand) was added to a lengthy Memphis injury list.
The Pistons led 56-51 at halftime, but the Grizzlies took control in the third quarter, outscoring Detroit 28-11 to take a 12-point lead into the fourth.
Detroit struggled when coach Maurice Cheeks was forced to use Chauncey Billups and Will Bynum together in the backcourt late in the third and early in the fourth. The two have played together in Stuckey's absence without much success. Billups is showing the signs of his 37 years, while Bynum has been ineffective for most of the season.
Detroit has struggled in the final quarter in the past month, and it was no different Sunday. Memphis outscored the Pistons 48-18 in the game's last 19 minutes.
NOTES: The game was played in front of a very small crowd, with a winter storm dumping up to a foot of snow in the Detroit area. The Pistons played a special video on the scoreboard during the third quarter, thanking the fans for coming out on such a nasty day. ... Prince received an ovation during pregame introductions. Prince was playing his second game as a visiting player at the Palace after being traded to Memphis last season. ... Memphis wore its home white jerseys with Detroit wearing its Sunday navy blue "Motor City" third uniforms. ... Brandon Jennings and Ed Davis picked up technicals for trash talking during the fourth quarter.
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