Pistons pulverize 76ers 136-106
PHILADELPHIA -- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 26 points and Marcus Morris added 22 as the Detroit Pistons routed the Philadelphia 76ers 136-106 on Saturday night.
Reggie Jackson contributed 21 points and Tobias Harris had 20 off the bench for Detroit, which achieved a season-high point total to win for the second time in three games.
The Pistons also shot a season-high 56.8 percent from the field.
Andre Drummond collected 14 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots for Detroit.
The Pistons, who hold the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff spot, took command by outscoring the 76ers 19-4 in the final 4:19 of the first half to take a 67-52 lead at the break.
Backup point guard Ish Smith, a former Sixer, generated four of his 11 points and three of his team-high 13 assists in that stretch. Philadelphia contributed to its own demise with some spotty offense, missing five of seven shots and committing three of its 15 first-half turnovers.
Philadelphia, which finished with 20 turnovers, saw Detroit go up by as many as 33 in the second half.
Nik Stauskas scored 24 points and Dario Saric collected 19 points and a career-high eight assists for the Sixers, who had nine available players.
Jahlil Okafor did not play because of a sore right knee and Gerald Henderson missed his second straight game with a bad hip.
The Sixers opened a 13-4 lead to start the game, but later in the first quarter Harris and Morris fueled a 19-4 flurry with six points apiece, putting Detroit ahead 33-22.
Philadelphia briefly nosed in front in the second quarter, but Detroit's pivotal run at the end of the half snapped a 48-all tie.
Morris amassed 13 points in the first 24 minutes for Detroit and Harris contributed 12.
Stauskas had 13 for the Sixers, whose 15 turnovers matched a high for any half this season, and were the most in a first half.
NOTES: G Reggie Jackson again started at the point for Detroit, even though coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters Friday that he was giving thought to promoting Jackson's backup, G Ish Smith. "The thing I'm getting tired of is acting like whatever problems we have, it's all one guy," Van Gundy said. "We have a lot of guys who haven't played well lately." ... Before the game, Sixers coach Brett Brown reiterated his plan to start F Ben Simmons next season at point guard. Simmons, the top overall pick in the 2016 draft, has missed all season with a broken foot.