DETROIT, Nov. 21 -- Joe Dumars scored 23 points and Grant Hill added 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Detroit Pistons defeated the New Jersey Nets, 96-88, Thursday night for their sixth straight win and best start in 26 years. Detroit (10-1) is off to its quickest start since beginning the 1970- 71 season 12-1. The Pistons also have won six straight against New Jersey. 'No one in this locker room is jumping up and down because we're 10- 1,' Hill said. 'We know that we could very easily hit a stretch where we lose 10-of-11 or something. We're happy because it was an ugly game where we were all a little fatigued. But we stepped up and shut a team down to win the game. The last two nights we've played teams with a combined three wins. The good thing is, we didn't come out complacent. We came out and beat both of them.' Jayson Williams posted season highs with 24 points and 18 rebounds as the Nets lost for the sixth time in seven games. Williams, who was 4- for-22 from the field in his previous two games, hit 10 of 14 shots. 'I thought we came out with our best effort as a team,' Williams said. 'People worked the ball and we played very unselfishly. We lost but this is a good start. They've been together for a long time in New Jersey, we never stay together for a year.'
This was the first road game for new Nets coach John Calipari, who skipped the team's trip to Japan to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's third child. Williams had a dunk and free throw after he was fouled as the Nets tied the score for the first time since the first quarter, 76-76, with 9:08 left in the fourth. The teams traded baskets twice and the Nets tied the score for the final time, 80-80, on Tony Massenburg's layup with 5:41 remaining. Dumars had the last eight points of a 13-0 burst that gave the Pistons 93-80 advantage. New Jersey was then held scoreless until Kerry Kittles made a three-pointer with 20.1 seconds to go. 'That was a real gutty win for us,' said Detroit coach Doug Collins. 'I knew we were running out of gas and they were full of energy, but our defense stepped up and played great the last five minutes. We wouldn't have won this game without our bench. Because of them, no one had to play 40 minutes tonight. They played well enough to keep us in the game and that was the key.' 'They got the plays from the big-time players,' said Calipari. 'Joe Dumars made a three that cut our hearts out. Grant Hill just takes over and does it. That's why they're one of the top 7 or 8 teams in the league. They've been together for two years, we've been together two months and it shows.' The Nets made 12 of our first 13 shots from the floor and took a 24- 18 lead with 4:11 left in the first. Hill and Don Reid each scored four points as Detroit closed the first with a 13-2 ruun to take a 31-26 lead. Kittles hit a jumper as the Nets cut the deficit to 43-42 with 6:42 to go in the second. Dumars had seven points as the Pistons responded with a 13-5 burst to take a 56-48 lead. Shawn Bradley was called for a technical after throwing the ball at the scorer's table. Dumars made the free throw and a three-pointer on the following possession. Otis Thorpe had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Pistons, who had all five starters in double figures.
