Jazz 94 Detroit 90 OT AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- When it come to the Detroit Pistons, Andrei Kirilenko and the Utah Jazz are perfect. Kirilenko scored a season-high 24 points and Mehmet Okur added 13 and 17 rebounds as the Jazz squeezed out a 94-90 overtime triumph over the Pistons, who had their nine-game home winning streak snapped. A 6-9 forward, Kirilenko has dominated Detroit this season. He had 22 points and 12 rebounds in a 92-78 home victory over the Pistons (26-5), who were swept by the Jazz in the season series. A basket by Rasheed Wallace gave the Pistons an 86-85 advantage with 2:53 remaining in the extra session before Okur - a former Piston - sank 3-pointer and Greg Ostertag made a layup. Milt Palacio drained a jumper with 37 seconds left to give Utah a 92-88 lead. After a layup by Ben Wallace, Palacio came up huge once again, scoring on a driving layup with four seconds remaining to seal the victory. Detroit held a 73-65 advantage with eight minutes remaining in the fourth period but the Jazz used a 10-2 spurt to tie the game. The Pistons were outscored, 27-17, in the fourth quarter. Detroit's Chauncey Billups made a pair of free throws with 21 seconds for a 92-90 lead, but Kirilenko answered with two free throws six seconds later. Billups had a chance to win it in regulation but missed as time expired. Rookie Deron Williams scored 14 points and Matt Harpring added 12 for Utah, which shot 42 percent (34-of-81) from the field and collected seven blocked shots, two by Kirilenko. Billups scored 24 points and Richard Hamilton added 18 for the Pistons, who shot 36 percent (32-of-88).
Every season, there is always a team that has another team's number. Still though, AK47 is playing great and the Jazz just play scrappy and tough, much like Jerry Sloan has always been known for.
I'm sure Pistons fans would love to have the answer. The Pistons are playing great right now but I'm not sold on them yet. Let's see how everything holds up in the crucible of the playoffs. The main thing they have going in their favor (right now) is the lack of a clear challenger in the East. I should also say the only two games I've seen them play this year were losses. Home to the Wizards when their vaunted defense couldn't stop anyone and the recent LeBron show in Cleveland.
I'm sold on them as top 3 in the East, but definitely not "70 game winner contender" as ESPN likes to spin it...
