Thirteen Is Lucky for the Pistons

Chauncey Billups didn’t care that he missed eight of his first nine shots, or that he had only five points with three-plus minutes left.

He was determined to keep shooting -- and his confidence led the Detroit Pistons to their franchise record-tying 13th straight win.

Billups scored 13 of his 18 points in the last 3:17 to lift Detroit to an 85-77 win over the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs on Monday at Auburn Hills, Mich.

“If I get a look late in the game, I just feel like I’m going to make it,” said Billups, who didn’t miss a shot as he scored the game’s last 10 points. “I don’t know what it is in me.”

The only other time Detroit won 13 in a row was 1989-90, the season it won its second straight NBA title.

Detroit matched the league’s best winning streak, which was set by the Spurs in December. The Pistons have not lost since New Jersey beat them at home on Dec. 26.

New York 90, Toronto 79 -- Stephon Marbury had 28 points and 14 assists at New York to keep Coach Lenny Wilkens undefeated in his new job, extending the Knick winning streak to four games. The Knicks improved to 3-0 under Wilkens by defeating the team he coached the last three seasons. Toronto was without Vince Carter, who sat out his second consecutive game because of a strained right quadriceps.

Minnesota 97, Charlotte 90 -- Sam Cassell had 22 points, including seven in the last 2 1/2 minutes at Minneapolis.

Kevin Garnett led Minnesota with 29 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, drawing a foul with 18.2 seconds left that led to New Orleans Coach Tim Floyd’s ejection. Baron Davis had 25 points for the Hornets before mildly spraining his left ankle midway through the fourth quarter with his team trailing, 85-84.

After Garnett got fouled as he made a shot in the lane on the other end, Floyd went crazy. He chucked his jacket off, kicked a bouncing ball into the seats, got ejected and angrily chased after referee Phil Robinson.

Golden State 101, Utah 85 -- Erick Dampier had his 20th double-double with 18 points and a career-high 24 rebounds for the Warriors at Oakland.

The Warriors were too much for the Jazz in the paint with Utah center Greg Ostertag and forwards Michael Ruffin and Andrei Kirilenko sidelined.

Orlando 106, Milwaukee 99 -- Tracy McGrady scored 34 points for the Magic at Orlando, Fla.

Milwaukee trailed by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter before a late flurry of three-pointers and free throws made it close.

Indiana 100, Atlanta 97 -- Reggie Miller made a go-ahead three-pointer and two free throws in the final minute at Atlanta.

Miller struggled most of the game, missing five of his first seven shots.

Seattle 90, Philadelphia 81 -- Ray Allen scored 28 points and made two late off-balance shots to lift the SuperSonics at Philadelphia.

Seattle overcame a 19-point first-half deficit and ended a four-game losing streak.

Washington 93, Chicago 83 -- The Wizards won consecutive games for the first time in two months, overcoming an 18-point deficit to win at Washington.

Memphis 88, Houston 83 -- Pau Gasol had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and James Posey scored 13 of his 17 points in a fourth-quarter comeback at Memphis, Tenn.