Drummond-led Pistons roll over Nuggets
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Andre Drummond powered for 19 points and 20 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons romped past the Denver Nuggets 103-86 on Saturday at The Palace.
The Pistons center notched his third 20-rebound game of the season. He also made three blocks, giving him 500 for his career.
It was a bounce-back effort for the All-Star. Drummond was benched for much of the second half of Detroit's 109-101 loss at Brooklyn on Wednesday for what coach Stan Van Gundy deemed a low-energy performance.
Reserve forward Jon Leuer scored a season-high 15 points and Marcus Morris contributed 15 points and six rebounds for Detroit (4-2).
Backup forward Wilson Chandler had a season-best 21 points and nine rebounds for Denver (2-3), which is now 1-2 on its current five-game road trip. Danilo Gallinari added 16 points while Jusuf Nurkic chipped in 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Denver guard Gary Harris, making his season debut after recovering from a right groin strain, scored three points in 15 minutes.
Nurkic was whistled for a Flagrant Foul 1 with 7:02 left in the third quarter by knocking Drummond to the floor while making an offensive move. Drummond, a notoriously poor free throw shooter, made both foul shots and then hit a jump hook. The four-point possession gave Detroit a 64-51 advantage.
The Pistons maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the quarter and carried a 77-67 lead into the fourth. The Nuggets went scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the quarter, committing five turnovers during that span, while Detroit doubled its lead.
Morris scored the first four points of the fourth. Stanley Johnson then fired in two jumpers and Morris finished off the 10-0 run with two free throws. Chandler made a runner to end Denver's drought.
Detroit cruised to the win from that point.
The Nuggets shot 30.8 percent in the first half were fortunate to be down by just seven, 51-44, at the break. The Pistons scored the first 10 points and led 29-12 after the first quarter. Chandler led the Denver comeback with 13 second-quarter points.
NOTES: Pistons SG Reggie Bullock, who has not played this season, has been diagnosed with a hip pointer. ... Nuggets SG Will Barton missed his second straight game because of a sprained left ankle. ... Denver coach Michael Malone said the Nuggets' depth makes it difficult to develop a rotation. "When I look to put my sub chart together going into every game, I'm saying, 'How the heck are we going to play all these guys?'" he said. ... Detroit's second-year F Stanley Johnson scored only two baskets in the team's first five games. "He ended last year really playing poorly offensively and then played well in the playoffs," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's 20 years old and there's going to be ups and downs." ... Denver won 10 of the previous 12 meetings with Detroit, including a two-game sweep last season.