Wizards Rally Past Pistons 106-99
By NOAH TRISTER/AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - John Wall scored 29 points and the Washington Wizards became the latest team to rally past Detroit in the fourth quarter, beating the Pistons 106-99 on Monday night.
Washington trailed 87-78 before starting the final period with a 17-4 run. The Pistons never went back ahead.
Brandon Jennings had 15 points and 14 assists for Detroit, which has lost five of six.
Trevor Ariza scored 15 points for the Wizards, who also beat Detroit 106-82 on Saturday in Washington.
Bradley Beal scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half for Washington.
It was another frustrating loss for Detroit, outscored 28-12 in the fourth quarter. The Pistons have also blown comfortable fourth-quarter leads at home against Portland and Charlotte during the latter part of December.
The Wizards (14-14) are at .500 after 28 games for the first time since finishing the 2007-08 season 43-39, according to STATS.
Washington began the fourth with 11 straight points, finally taking an 89-87 lead on a 3-pointer by Martell Webster. The Wizards led 101-97 with a minute to go, and Detroit's Josh Smith had his driving attempt blocked by Marcin Gortat. Wall connected from near the elbow at the other end to make it a six-point game.
Detroit led 63-53 after an up-tempo first half. During one sequence, Greg Monroe dunked over Wall to give the Pistons a 24-19 lead, only to have Ariza answer with a 3-pointer seconds later.
Detroit rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who had been held to single digits in his last 10 games, scored all 17 of his points in the first half, setting a career high. In the second quarter, he missed a dunk on a fast break, but the Pistons came up with the ball and Caldwell-Pope was able to spot up for a 3-pointer to put Detroit ahead 49-44.
The Pistons entered the game leading the NBA with 14.4 offensive rebounds per game. They had 14 in the first half against Washington but only four in the second.
NOTES: Detroit G Rodney Stuckey (shoulder) did not play. ... Wall went 14 of 15 on free throws. The Pistons could have used some of that marksmanship - they went 2 for 9 in the first quarter and 21 of 35 for the game. ... Wall reached the 20-point mark for a seventh straight game.
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