Clippers upend Pistons 104-96 LA CLIPPERS

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.(AP) — Chris Kaman’s family and friends always
come to see him when he visits Detroit. The center’s play in the
post finally sent them home with happy memories.

The Michigan native scored 26 points Friday night on 11 for 13
shooting to help the Los Angeles Clippers top the Pistons 104-96
and end a 13-game skid against Detroit.

“They always come,” Kaman said, “but it’s a lot nicer to win
here. I’ve never won a game here before.”

The former Central Michigan standout had a pair of baskets in
the final minutes to help thwart a Pistons rally and lead the
Clippers to their third win in four tries.

Baron Davis added 25 points and 10 assists and Al Thornton added
19 points.

Rookie Jonas Jerebko had a career-best 22 points and Rodney
Stuckey added 21 before fouling out for Detroit, which lost its
seventh straight.

Jerebko’s 3-pointer halfway through the fourth quarter gave the
Pistons an 87-86 lead. The Clippers answered with a 7-0 run,
including consecutive baskets from Thornton, to regain the lead
for good. Thornton was 5 for 6 from the floor and scored 12
points in the final period.

“I was asleep the first three quarters, but I woke up in the
fourth quarter,” he said. “Getting a win here makes it a pretty
good trip.”

The Clippers were outrebounded 43-35 but made up for it by
blocking nine Detroit shots and holding the Pistons to 40
percent field-goal shooting while making almost 60 percent. The
Clippers outscored the Pistons 46-26 in the paint.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who can post up,” coach Mike Dunleavy
said. “We took advantage of it.”

Will Bynum scored 14 points and had nine assists and Ben Wallace
grabbed 16 rebounds for Detroit, which was missing three of its
most able offensive contributors.

“Their interior passing was superior to ours and Kaman did a
really good job of sizing up what he wanted to and knocking down
open looks,” Pistons coach John Kuester said.

The Pistons were without guard Ben Gordon, who left Wednesday’s
loss to Cleveland with a sprained left ankle. He joined Richard
Hamilton (ankle) and Tashaun Prince (back) on the sick list.

Rookie Austin Daye made his first career start in Gordon’s place
and scored a career-best 13 points.

Eric Gordon, playing his second game since missing eight
straight with a groin injury, came off the bench to score 14
points for the Clippers.

“We had a lot of guys chip in,” added Dunleavy, who said he was
happy to hear his son, Mike, played his first game in almost a
year for Indiana on Friday.

Notes: Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan (right ankle sprain) missed
his third straight game. … Davis was assessed a technical foul
after arguing with an official in the first quarter. …
Detroit’s last home loss to the Clippers was Feb. 19, 2001.