March 18, 2015
Ish Smith scored 15 points to pace a balanced offense, and the Philadelphia 76ers snapped a four-game skid with a 94-83 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
Jason Richardson added 14 points for Philadelphia, which won for just the second time in 10 games. The 76ers continued to have success against the Pistons, winning three of four meetings this season.
Philadelphia rookie big man Nerlens Noel left with 4 minutes, 27 seconds left in the third quarter with a right foot contusion and didn't return. Noel, who sat out all of last season with a left knee injury, finished with 11 points and four rebounds.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 20 points for the Pistons, who have lost 11 of 12. Reggie Jackson, who set a career-high with 20 assists on Tuesday, had a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Detroit, which entered 28th in the league in field-goal percentage (42.6 percent) struggled from the field against Philadelphia again. The Pistons hit 33 percent (29-for-88) on Wednesday. They shot a season-low 30.7 percent in an 89-69 loss Jan. 28 at Philadelphia.
The Pistons' hopes of a playoff spot all but evaporated with a 10-game losing streak that ended with Tuesday's 105-95 home win over Memphis. It was the first victory since Feb. 22 for Detroit, which entered Wednesday 6 ½ games back of a playoff spot in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers, who began Wednesday with the third-worst record in the league, stretched their three-point lead entering the fourth quarter to double-digits at 83-72 on Furkan Aldemir's bucket with just under five minutes remaining.
Richardson's 3-pointer with 2:37 remaining gave Philadelphia its largest lead, 87-72.
Detroit never got closer than eight the rest of the way.
Philadelphia led by 10 at the half and matched its biggest lead to that point on Hollis Thompson's 3-pointer with 4:05 left in the third quarter that made it 65-52. But the Pistons finished the period by scoring 13 of the final 16 points to trim the margin to 68-65 entering the fourth quarter.
The Pistons and 76ers are two of the worst-shooting teams in the league. While Detroit entered 28th, Philadelphia (40.8 percent) was last before Wednesday's games. The Pistons struggled more in first half when they shot 33.3 percent (14 for 42) from the field, helping Philadelphia lead 49-39 at the break. Philadelphia ended at 42.9 percent (36-for-84) from the field.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Greg Monroe (knee) sat out for the second straight game. ... Former Villanova standout Malik Allen is a Pistons assistant coach. The No. 1-seeded Wildcats begin NCAA tournament play Thursday against Lafayette.
76ers: The 76ers hosted the family of former Philadelphia police officer Robert Wilson III, who was killed during a robbery attempt last month. Wilson's 10-year-old son, Quahmier, got a tour of the 76ers locker room from Richardson. ... Philadelphia held Detroit to 30.7 percent shooting in an 89-69 home win over the Pistons on Jan. 28.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Host Chicago on Saturday.
76ers: Host the Knicks on Friday.
