Pistons 89, Clippers 80

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Rookies Mehmet Okur and Tayshaun Prince more than made up for the absence of Ben Wallace.

Okur had the first double-double of his career with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the Detroit Pistons' 89-80 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Prince scored 10 points, including five in a key 19-4 second-quarter run.

``This might be my first double-double, but my goal is to get one every night,'' he said. ``My teammates know where to get me the ball, and I'm getting used to them. Tonight was just great.''

Wallace remained in Alabama after the death of his mother and will go straight to Atlanta for Sunday's All-Star game following the funeral Saturday.

``I told Memo that without Ben, we needed a double-double from him or else,'' teammate Jon Barry said. ``He got a lot of good looks, but that is going to change as teams realize that he is a legitimate scoring option. That's going to be his next adjustment.''

Okur, who entered the game averaging 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds, played 38 minutes in place of Wallace, while Prince was on the floor for 25 minutes.

``This was a lot of fun,'' Prince said. ``Memo did a great job filling in for Ben (Wallace), and I was able to come in and make things happen.''

Detroit led 26-23 when Prince and Corliss Williamson helped turn the game into a rout.

``That was a terrible second quarter,'' Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said. ``We couldn't score and we gave up 35 points.''

The Pistons led by as many as 27 in the third quarter before Los Angeles rallied late.

``We got off to a slow start, but the starters picked it up at the end of the first, and we were able to get things rolling in the second,'' Prince said. ``That's our job.''

Gentry, a former Pistons coach, took as much comfort as he could from the late surge.

``I was happy with the way we competed to the end,'' he said. ``Obviously, it is tough playing from 27 down, but we got it from 27 to nine.''

Detroit enters the All-Star break with a four-game winning streak. It has won the last three by an average of 27.7 points.

``This was a game that looked easier on paper than it really was,'' Pistons coach Rick Carlisle said. ``We're playing well, but the guys were serious about it and no one got suckered into thinking it was going to be easy.''

Los Angeles has lost four in a row and seven of eight.

``I think a lot of guys are looking forward to the All-Star break,'' Elton Brand said. ``We just didn't battle at all in the first half, and the Pistons hit some shots and got a big lead.''

Cliff Robinson had 17 points for the Pistons, and Corliss Williamson added 12.

``I think we all feel good about what we have been able to do in the first half of the season,'' Robinson said. ``We just have to get a little hungrier in the second half. We've got a chance to battle for home-court throughout the playoffs, and we have to focus on that.''

Brand led the Clippers with 18 points, and Melvin Ely had 14.< ^Notes:@ Several Pistons wore black No. 3 armbands in tribute to Wallace. ... Los Angeles' Marko Jaric missed the game with the flu. ... Detroit signed veteran forward Danny Manning before the game and placed Juan Sanchez (knee) on the injured list. ... Detroit has won 17 of its last 19 home games against the Clippers.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)