INDIANAPOLIS, March 26 (Ticker) -- In more ways than one, the Detroit Pistons showed the Indiana Pacers how tough they are.

Corliss "Big Nasty" Williamson scored 23 points and pegged the ball at Jermaine O'Neal as the Pistons overpowered the Pacers, 96-77, for their sixth win in seven games.

The surprising Pistons (42-28) have taken control of the Central Division with a team of mostly role players who hustle, rebound, play tough defense and are not afraid to mix it up a little bit.

Bursts by Detroit of 16-2 in the third quarter and 13-0 in the fourth quarter already had decided the outcome when Williamson drove the left baseline with 1:16 to go. As he went up for a layup, he was given a flying body block by O'Neal.

NBA TV highlights from Pistons-Pacers: 56k | 300k Clifford Robinson scored 13 points in this fierce contest, all coming in the first three quarters. Ron Hoskins NBAE/Getty Images

"If you're having a bad game defensively, that's no way to react. No class," Pistons forward Ben Wallace said. "After they beat us (in Detroit), they talked a lot. Our message tonight was, keep your mouth shut."

"I'm surprised," Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said. "That's something he hasn't shown. I think it was frustration."

Williamson fired the ball at O'Neal from about five feet away, hitting him solidly before chaos ensued. Wallace stepped between them and O'Neal shoved him. Wallace had to be restrained before O'Neal took a swing at Pistons forward Michael Curry.

"I don't know his reason for that kind of foul," said Williamson, who slyly added, "My reaction to it was the ball slipped out of my hands."

The Pistons were not happy about the shot O'Neal took at Williamson.

"We do not play dirty," Pistons coach Rick Carlisle said. "We do not throw cheap shots and I did not see us throw any tonight. I can't speak for O'Neal, but that was one of the worst cheap shots I've ever seen. O'Neal seemed to calm down when Wallace stepped in his face."

"He's (O'Neal) got some issues. The kid has some issues," Pistons guard Jerry Stackhouse said.

Williamson and O'Neal both were ejected and O'Neal faces a possible suspension for his actions toward Curry. That is not good news for the Pacers (35-35), who are just 2 1/2 games ahead of Washington for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

"They do a lot of talking for a .500 team," Stackhouse said.

Indiana dealt swingman Jalen Rose at the trading deadline to add toughness. With Isiah Thomas as coach, many people were likening them to Thomas' "Bad Boys" Pistons squads of the late 1980s and early 1990s. But the Pacers were pushed around by the tougher team.

"This team is not in a very good place," Pacers guard Reggie Miller said. "Mentally, we think things are going to be given to us."

"Our team is like a family," Williamson said. "If you pick on one of us, you pick on all of us. We're always there to pick each other up."

Chucky Atkins scored 18 points and Wallace had 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Pistons, who opened a 4 1/2-game lead on Milwaukee atop the Central Division. Detroit has not won a division title since 1990, when it won its second of consecutive NBA titles.

"It was nice to come in here and get the victory," Atkins said. "If people do not respect us or have their eyes closed, that's on them. We can't control that."

Atkins made three 3-pointers in 69 seconds, starting a run that turned a one-point edge into a 67-52 advantage with 3:03 remaining.

The Pacers closed the quarter with an 8-1 surge, and two jumpers by Ron Mercer opened the final period and cut the deficit to 68-64 with 10:05 left. The Pistons called a timeout and returned to the court with a vengeance.

Williamson made two free throws and Jon Barry a jumper before throwing a blind pass directly over his head to a trailing Curry, who dunked for a 74-64 lead. Barry drilled a long 3-pointer and Williamson scored twice inside, making it 81-64 with 7:03 to go.

"We feel real confident with the way we're playing," Williamson said.

The Pistons shot 47 percent (34-of-73) from the field, including 9-of-17 from the arc, and committed just 11 turnovers as they won without big games from leading scorers Stackhouse and Clifford Robinson. Stackhouse scored 12 points and Robinson 13 as the duo combined to make just 9-of-31 shots.

Brad Miller had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Reggie Miller scored 16 points for the Pacers, who shot 40 percent (31-of-77) and committed 21 turnovers.

"We went from clicking smoothly to the wheels coming off," Thomas said.