NBA-best Pistons beat league-worst Hawks
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-19 11:35

ATLANTA - Chauncey Billups scored 23 points, Richard Hamilton added 21 and the Detroit Pistons routed the Atlanta Hawks 117-89 Wednesday night, the expected result in a matchup of the NBA's best and worst records.

The Pistons have won five in a row — all by double-digit margins — to boost their record to 31-5. Atlanta fell to 10-27.

Detroit got off to a rocky start, missing 11 of its first 16 shots. The Hawks were even worse, starting out 1-of-11, but still managed to claim a 19-18 lead at the end of the ugly quarter.

It didn't last. The Pistons finally got rolling, led by backup guard Maurice Evans. He scored 12 of his 14 points in the second period, including a pair of 3-pointers that helped Detroit run away from the hapless Hawks.

The Pistons made a staggering 16 of 22 shots in the period, scoring at will against Atlanta's feeble defensive effort. Evans hit a 3 that gave Detroit its first double-digit lead, 42-32, and finished off the quarter with a barely contested reverse lay-in with one-tenth of a second remaining for a commanding 59-40 advantage.

Everyone got in on the act. Carlos Arroyo left his defender behind with a wicked crossover dribble before dishing the ball to Ben Wallace, who found Tayshaun Prince lingering all by himself at the 3-point line. The jumper hit nothing but net, of course.

Billups connected on four 3-pointers, while Hamilton hit nine of 15 shots. Wallace took care of the dirty work, grabbing 18 rebounds to go along with six blocks.

Detroit shot 54 percent and equaled its highest-scoring game of the year. The Pistons also scored 117 in a November victory over Toronto.

Detroit kept up the pressure in the final minutes, alternating between rim-rocking dunks and open 3s, stretching the margin to as much as 31 points. Darko Milicic, the Pistons' seldom-used first-round pick from 2003, entered the game late to mock cheers, making his first appearance in four games and only the 20th of the season.

Al Harrington had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta.