The Raptors have won both meetings with Detroit this season, but the Pistons have covered the spread in four of the last five meetings.
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The Pistons hit 6 of 7 three-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a 34-24 lead, and they were 11 of 19 from beyond the arc in the first half. “It doesn’t mean we’ll turn it off mentally, but just letting the bodies slow down a little bit.”…
“When you lose the way we lost, just mental mistake after mental mistake, those hurt more than anything”, Cavaliers small forward LeBron James said.
Miami’s Dwyane Wade scored 26 points to guide the Heat to a 98-81 win at NY; their fifth consecutive road win against the Knicks, and one that kept them half a game clear of Atlanta atop the Southeast Division. Jackson led the way with an efficient 22 points on 6-10 shooting, Marcus Morris chipped in 20 points on 14 shot attempts, and Drummond finished with 15 points and 17 boards. Detroit had only 11 turnovers and just one in the first half. “We didn’t come out with any defensive disposition”.
The five-game home stand started with a whimper.
Point guard Reggie Jackson led the way with 22 points and eight assists for a Pistons’ offense that produced five double-figure scorers despite only shooting 42 percent from the field.
Pistons: Detroit started a stretch with seven of nine games on the road…. Detroit C Andre Drummond has 24 15-point, 15-rebound games this season, three times more than his nearest competitors….
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-18): Lowry became the first Toronto player to score at least 40 points twice during a season since Chris Bosh in 20019-10 and it was needed badly Friday with his backcourt partner under the weather. “But then we dribbled the ball up half court and turned it over with no one playing defense”. Pistons rookie SF Stanley Johnson missed his third straight game with a right shoulder sprain…. Jonas Valanciunas scored 11 points, his 11th straight game in double figures. Pistons F Tobias Harris spent his first 1 1/2 seasons with the Bucks, who acquired him in a draft-day deal with Charlotte in 2011.
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Raptors: Host Utah on Wednesday night.
