 Cliff Robinson takes a jumper over Pau Gasol. Greg Shamus/NBAE/Getty Images from Grizzlies-Pistons: 56k | 300k |
Stackhouse, one of the NBA's top scorers, is nursing a sore groin and has missed the last two games. Detroit felt the All-Star guard's absence in Friday's loss to Atlanta but rebounded against sloppy Memphis even though it also played without Corliss Williamson due to a hip flexor injury.
"When you have key players out, you have to do your best to step up your game and make sure things continue at the rate they've been going," said Robinson, who made 10-of-20 shots and grabbed five rebounds. "We've been playing hard all season. Just because we have a couple people out, that shouldn't affect that."
The Grizzlies closed the third quarter with seven consecutive points to take a 71-66 lead. But the Pistons opened the final quarter with 10 straight points and held Memphis to just 13 in the final 12 minutes.
Chucky Atkins and rookie Zeljko Rebraca each scored four points during the decisive run. Atkins tied it, 71-71, on a 3-pointer with 10:21 remaining before Rebraca gave the Pistons the led for good on a hook shot with 8:11 to go.
Jon Barry had 15 points and seven rebounds in place of Stackhouse. He made 5-of-6 shots to go with seven rebounds and three assists.
"He played a terrific professional game," Detroit coach Rick Carlisle said. "He let the game come to him. I think it's easier for him when he knows he's going to get big minutes."
"It's a different mind-set when you know you're going to be out there for 35 minutes," Barry said. "You can let the game come to you, you don't have to force the issue as much. It's nice to be out there, but I wasn't used to it."
Rebraca finished with 10 points and Atkins added nine and five assists to lead an excellent effort by Detroit's bench. Rookie Rodney White added six points in just 18 minutes.
"It was a downer when we heard Corliss wasn't going to play," Carlisle said. "We knew that Stack was going to be out, so one or two guys were going to have step up for us. Tonight those guys were Chucky Atkins and Rodney White."
"We've been geting that all season," Robinson said of the bench production. "I think everybody is starting to feel comfortable in their roles."
Jason Williams scored a season-high 25 points for Memphis and rookie Shane Battier had 18 points and six rebounds.
Spanish teenage rookie Pau Gasol had 11 points, six rebounds and four blocks for the Grizzlies, who have lost three straight and are winless in six road games.
Memphis shot 45 percent (33-of-73) from the floor and had a 42-34 rebounding edge despite playing without forward Stromile Swift, who is nursing an injured left elbow.
"We fought hard today, we made a push in the fourth quarter but they executed better than we did," Battier said. "The game's not won on one or two plays in the fourth quarter."
Battier scored three points in the Grizzlies' 7-0 run to close the third. Wright forged a 66-66 tie on a 16-foot jumper with 1:25 left and Battier made a shot and a free throw. Isaac Austin capped the quarter with a layup at 19 seconds to give Memphis their largest lead.
"This is the NBA, we knew they would make a run," Battier said. "They made their push and we tried to comeback. We were in a good position, we just didn't push over the top. Basketball is a game of endless flows. Good teams seem to have a better control of those flows and that's the difference."