AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? Ben Gordon scored 19 points and fellow reserve Tyson Chandler had 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls won their fifth straight game, 89-82 over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
Chicago hadn’t won five in a row since Michael Jordan led them on a 14-game run during the 1997-98 championship season. Detroit has lost four of six.
Six Bulls scored in double figures, including three players off the bench. The Chicago reserves outscored Detroit’s 53-8, including 18 from Andres Nocioni.
Chauncey Billups led all scorers with 32 for the Pistons, while Ben Wallace had 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks while playing on a sprained ankle.
Chicago led 46-38 at the half, thanks to some outstanding defense. The Bulls held Detroit to 32.6 percent shooting in the first two quarters.
The Bulls expanded their lead to 11 early in the third, but Billups hit four 3-pointers, turning the last one into a four-point play when he was fouled by Eric Piatkowski.
Billups finished with 17 points in the period, pulling the Pistons within 64-62 at quarter’s end.
Nocioni started the fourth with a 3-pointer for Chicago, but the defending champions stayed close until a 6-0 Bulls run made it 77-70 with 5:40 left.
Notes: Pistons coach Larry Brown had to be restrained during a post-game argument with referee Anthony Jordan. … Elden Campbell (sore back) did not play for Detroit. … Chicago had lost nine straight to Detroit and 19 of 21. … Olympic gold medalist Carly Piper (swimming) attended the game. … The game was Detroit’s last before their much-anticipated rematch with the Indiana Pacers on Christmas Day. It will be the first meeting between the teams since Indiana’s Nov. 19 victory was cut short by the fight between Pacers players and Pistons fans. … Five of Chicago’s nine wins this season have been on Wednesdays. … The Pistons entered the game ranked 27th in field-goal percentage.
