Nets 89, Pistons 74
Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and Devin Harris added 12 and nine assists as the New Jersey Nets pulled away from the Detroit Pistons en route to an 89-74 victory on Friday.
Kris Humphries chipped in 11 points and 12 rebounds off the bench and Anthony Morrow returned from a 17-game absence due to a strained hamstring to score 10 points in 14 minutes for the Nets, who have won back-to-back games for the first time this month.
Playing without the specter of their team being blown up by a potential trade for Carmelo Anthony now that ownership has squashed the idea, New Jersey has gone out the last two nights and played like a different squad, taking out a Western Conference contender in Utah on Wednesday and then dominating the Pistons on the defensive end, holding them to 33 percent (25 of 75) shooting and taking control on the boards, 44-35.
Detroit was within 67-62 after Austin Daye hit a pair of free throws with 11:26 left in the game. But Morrow knocked down three straight jumpers to spark an 18-5 run over the next eight minutes as the Nets put the game away.
Tayshaun Prince scored 16 points and Rodney Stuckey added 14 for the Pistons.