Spurs 109, Pistons 99
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Tony Parker poured in a season-high 31 points and the San Antonio Spurs stretched their winning streak to nine games by downing the Detroit Pistons 109-99 on Tuesday at The Palace.
The veteran point guard, who made 13 of 19 field-goal attempts, scored all his points in the final three quarters. Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds and shooting guard Manu Ginobili supplied 15 points and five rebounds off the bench for San Antonio (34-6), which tied its best start after 40 games.
Center Tim Duncan added 14 points and nine rebounds and backup power forward Boris Diaw chipped in 12 points.
Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons (21-17), who had won their last three games, with 25 points. Center Andre Drummond notched his league-high 32nd double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and his backup, Aron Baynes, added a season-high 15 points and nine rebounds.
Detroit small forward Marcus Morris returned after missing the previous game with left knee tendinitis but only scored four points.
The second half was delayed while the maintenance crew replaced both nets. Parker proceeded to scorch the one near the Spurs' bench when play resumed, firing in 14 of his team's first 16 points of the half.
He capped off the flurry with a pair of layups and a floater in the lane, giving San Antonio a 69-54 lead. Ginobili's basket late in the quarter made it 78-59.
Drummond picked up a technical in the closing seconds for arguing a no-call and the Spurs carried an 81-66 lead into the final quarter.
Drummond sparked a 9-2 Detroit run to start the fourth to whittle San Antonio's lead to 83-75. Parker's layup with 6:16 remaining pushed him past his previous season high of 25 points and extended San Antonio's advantage to 12. The Pistons got as close as six points but Parker's 3-pointer with 2:17 left sealed it.
Duncan and Parker were held scoreless in the opening quarter before combining for 15 points in the second as San Antonio led 53-44 at halftime. The Spurs took advantage of Drummond's foul issues as he sat out the last 8:40 after collecting his third foul.
NOTES: Pistons reserve C Aron Baynes was facing his former team for the first time. He had a tendency to get over-aggressive in practices at San Antonio. "He takes no prisoners," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's out there full bore all the time. Sometimes he's a bull in a china shop, sometimes he wins the game for you." ... The Pistons lead the NBA in offensive rebounds per game at 13.6. ... The Spurs are well on their way to their 17th straight season with at least 50 victories, a feat that Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy finds mind-boggling. "What they've done, for the number of years they've done it, is amazing and pretty much unprecedented," he said. ... San Antonio is 24-1 when reaching the 100-point mark. ... Spurs PG Tony Parker leads all NBA guards with his 52.1 shooting percentage.