Rasheed Wallace scored most of his 19 points on five three-pointers, including back-to-back shots that he emphatically celebrated during a third-quarter spree, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 92-82 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki (R) of Germany loses control of the ball against Detroit Pistons Antonio McDyess in the second quarter of NBA basketball action in Dallas, Texas December 7, 2006. [Reuters]

The Pistons looked far more like a team that recently won eight straight than a club that had lost its last two. They grabbed control early and never let the Mavericks get as close as six points until there was 1:17 left.

Dallas didn't score again, though, to lose for the second time in three games since a 12-game winning streak. The Mavericks also ended a 22-game home winning streak over Eastern Conference teams, dating to Jan. 29, 2005.

Wallace scored 10 points in the first quarter and had nine more in the third, all coming after a Dallas rally. They came in a flurry, too - three three-pointers in a span of four possessions. He followed the second one by jabbing his right index finger and screaming, "Pow!" After banking in the next one, putting the Pistons up by 16, he repeatedly hollered, "I called that!"

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 29 points and nine rebounds, but missed a three-pointer that could've gotten the Mavs within in the final minute.

The Mavericks haven't looked good in either of their two recent losses. They were blown out for most of a 106-97 loss at Washington on Monday night and trailed by double digits for most of this game. The Pistons' lead peaked at 18 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Tayshaun Prince led Detroit with 20 points, Richard Hamilton scored 15 and Chauncey Billups had 12 points and 11 assists.

Jason Terry scored 17 points for Dallas, while Josh Howard and Erick Dampier each scored 12.

Howard didn't score in the second half. Even worse, starter Devin Harris was 0-for-6 for 1 point in 28 minutes and Jerry Stackhouse was 0-for-4 and scoreless in 18 minutes.

Filling the front row around the court were about 120 military personnel, part of the third annual "Seats For Soldiers" event. Season-ticket holders donated their seats to the soldiers, most of them flown in from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Others came from a National Guard unit based in Fort Worth.

Many of the vets from Brooke are recovering from injuries suffered in Iraq or Afghanistan. They received a standing ovation between the first two quarters, their names scrolled on the overhead monitor while the song, "Proud To Be An American" was played.