The days of 78-74 and 69-65 scores between the Pistons and Pacers are over. But the Pistons are still playing defense. The Pacers are most recent victim of Detroit’s renewed defensive vigor as the Pistons turned 13 Indiana turnovers into 16 points in the first half alone, essentially putting their seventh consecutive win on ice by halftime. The second quarter was the Pistons’ Achilles’ heel in New Jersey Wednesday; on Friday it was their strength, outscoring Indiana, 40-22, to take a 64-41 halftime lead.

Arron Afflalo’s 3-pointer with six seconds left capped a nondescript second half and a 114-101 victory. Rip Hamilton had a superb all-around game with 23 points, nine assists and four steals. Six Pistons finished in double figures.

FLIP SAUNDERS: ““I think we were pretty sharp tonight, on both ends. First half we had 16 deflections, when you’re that sharp defensively it’s going to carry over to your offense.”

The story of the game in Pistons red, white and blue

– Can balanced scoring be hot? If so, the Pistons had it. They shot 54.3 percent as a team in the first half and had 18 assists to Indiana’s nine. Of the seven players who scored for Detroit, six had at least six points and three were in double figures.

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: “That was as good as it gets right there (in the second quarter). Executing, Getting stops, I mean shots were just going and we just really opened the game up.”

Blue Collar –Center Primoz Brezec hasn’t been in Detroit long, but he seems to know the way to the fans’ hearts - even if he has to take out his own bench to do it. Brezec’s entertaining spill into the Pistons bench for a loose ball took out a couple of chairs, spilled some water and left his teammates, especially Rasheed Wallace, scrambling for cover.

The possession went to Indiana, but Brezec’s effort was not in vain. To make a Rodman-esque leap into the seats in the waning minutes of a first-half blowout merited the respect of the fans, some of whom even gave Brezec a standing ovation.

Red Flag – This is preemptive red flag, in the event the Pistons fall flat when these same teams tip off Saturday night. After what they did Friday, anything less than another ‘W’ in Indianapolis would have to be attributed, at least in part, to a letdown. And it may have started to manifest itself in the Pistons’ 13-point fourth quarter. Though the Pistons have done a pretty good job putting “complacency” argument to rest this season, Saturday will be another test.

BILLUPS: “I look at (the lack of close games) a little differently. We’re getting rest in fourth quarters and giving our bench a chance to have an effect on the game in second quarters and be able to play most of the fourth. It gives them a chance to get some seasoning. … I’m happy with it, man, to be honest.”

Pivotal plays, frozen moments and lasting images from a game with a little of everything

Fired up - Pacers guard Marquis Daniels ran over Billups as he tried to race upcourt, and Pacers coach Jim O’Brien’s fierce protest drew a technical foul at the 11:15 mark of the second quarter. It was the most fight any Pacer showed all night.

Feelin’ fine - For a guy battling food poisoning, Jarvis Hayes was moving and shooting pretty well. He scored six straight points in the second quarter - on a fast-break layup, a triple and a 20-footer - bumping Detroit’s lead from seven to 12. Hayes finished the quarter with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. After throwing up in the locker room at halftime, Hayes sat out the remainder. The culprits, Hayes revealed, were some bad sliders he ate on Roundball One on the trip back from New Jersey.

HAYES: “That layup actually (got me going), I got an easy basket when I first got in the game and that kind of triggers a lot of other stuff for me.”

Toyin’ around - You knew the Pistons were toying with the Pacers’ defense by the 2:17 mark of the second quarter, when Billups drove the lane and had a clear path to a layup on the right-hand side, only for Billups to scoop a pass all the way to the left corner to Hayes, who drained a 24-foot triple for a 58-34 lead.

BILLUPS: “We made the extra pass a lot. We turned down some shots to get another open shots. When you’ve got it going like that, sometimes it’s good to turn down a few shots. I know personally we got Jarvis going and my whole focus was to keep him going. He’d been struggling a bit lately so if we could get him going, I’d pass up a layup or a shot just to get him going. And it was just a trickle-down, everybody was doing it.”

Herrmann debuts - Saunders gave 37-year-old Lindsey Hunter a night off, allowing Walter Herrmann to make his Pistons debut. The 28-year-old forward had not been on the active list since being acquired in the Nazr Mohammed deal two weeks ago. He entered the game with 9:26 left in the fourth quarter. Not to be upstaged by Brezec (see Blue Collar), the other former Bobcat had a nifty up-and-under, one-handed layup that was another crowd-favorite moment.

HERMANN: “I’m a professional, if you need to wait a long time, you need to wait. I’m so happy today because I got my first opportunity. It’s a special day for me.

A little perspective on a big win - and quick rematch

Didn’t feel like a meeting between the top two teams in the Central Division, did it? That shows just how smoothly the Pistons’ ship is sailing these days. It’s hard not to be glib about the Pistons’ play this month - but the news gets even better as the Pistons head to Indiana to face the Pacers again Saturday. They’re the better road team with a deeper bench. Neither team had to extend their starters’ very long in the blowout, so perhaps Indiana will mount a better effort at home.

SAUNDERS: “Both teams did [rest their starters] though, so there’s no difference. They played their starters less than we played ours. So their starters are going to be more rested than ours. I don’t think it’s really going to matter (Saturday).”