TABLE TURNER

What’s the difference between a team that knows it’s good and one that thinks as much? The team that knows it’s good doesn’t end losing streaks – it simply starts new winning streaks. So after losing their first two games coming back from the All-Star break, the Pistons started a new winning streak Friday night, crushing the Milwaukee Bucks – who led by 21 and survived a 3-point attempt to tie in the closing seconds when the Central Division rivals met 48 hours earlier on the other side of Lake Michigan – 127-100 at The Palace. In their highest-scoring game played in regulation since the Pistons scored 130 against Denver on March 8, 2000, the Pistons closed the first half on a 29-6 run and built their lead to 31 early in the fourth quarter before Milwaukee chopped it to 14 in a ragtag fourth quarter. Juan Dixon made his Pistons debut, knocking down his first shot, a 3-pointer from the corner. That second-quarter run was sparked by Rasheed Wallace and four reserves, none more impressive than Amir Johnson.

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS: “It was a big game for us. I thought that fourth quarter (in Milwaukee on Wednesday), we got back to playing how we play. We came in today and played that way from the start of the game. It wasn’t easy – they made a run, they got the lead – but we stayed aggressive on both ends and opened the game up.”

FLIP SAUNDERS: “Amir came in in the second quarter and was the big difference maker. Just his energy – offensive rebounding, defensively, just getting out there and having a presence. … He’s getting more comfortable. He’s got a very good instinct for the game. He makes good decisions when he gets the ball in the post as far as moving the ball or scoring, made great passes on the break. Every game he plays, he seems to pick up something else and get a little bit better.”

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

– Rasheed Wallace (17 points, six boards, three blocks) and Amir Johnson entered the game with 10:03 left in the second quarter and the game tied at 36. Arron Afflalo came on 1:06 later. That’s pretty much when things changed. Milwaukee scored the next four points, but then the Pistons ran off 13 straight, 25 of the next 29 and 29 of the final 35 points scored in that quarter. They sparked the turnaround defensively, Wallace blocking three shots and coming up with a steal, Johnson blocking one and adding another steal. Wallace scored four points and grabbed four rebounds and Johnson had seven points and two rebounds and each added an assist. Afflalo got in Michael Redd’s grill – Redd finished with 18 points and attempted just 12 shots. Johnson finished with 13 points, six boards, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

JOHNSON: “I know what I can do on the floor, so I just bring it on the court to help our team win. I just work hard every practice and bring it on to the court.”

Blue Collar – Billups led the Pistons with 21 points, about as quiet a 21 as he’ll ever get, accomplishing it while taking only nine shots. He punished Milwaukee at the free-throw line, making 10 of 12, and passed out a coolly efficient 12 assists while committing just one turnover. With the game in hand after three quarters, Billups turned it over to Rodney Stuckey, who added six points and five assists.

Red Flag – The runaway win obscured the fact that Milwaukee did some damage against the Pistons’ starters, scoring 35 points in the first quarter while making 12 straight shots at one point and then rattling off 20 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter. Milwaukee shot 50 percent.

SAUNDERS: “You’re always concerned at the time. I told the guys at the timeout, right now they’re making shots. Just keep on digging in and eventually we’ll get some stops and get our break going a little bit.”

Pivotal plays, frozen moments and lasting images from the start of a new winning streak

Early Warning – The Bucks’ scorching first quarter notwithstanding, the tone of the game might well have been set on the first possession, when the Pistons hounded Milwaukee defensively to the point that Mo Williams wound up traveling with two seconds left on the shot clock and nothing much happening. That defensive tenacity eventually paid off as Milwaukee turned the ball over five times in the second quarter, fueling the Pistons’ dominant closing run that turned the game.

Summer Stock – Billups had the “SportsCenter” highlight of the game, a behind-the-back pass that went from his right hand to the right wing – think about that. Instead of passing to the left wing – the natural path a behind-the-back pass from the right hand should travel – Billups spun his body enough so that the pass wrapped on almost a 360-degree course, hitting Tayshaun Prince for an open 16-footer that he knocked down.

BILLUPS: “That’s my summer league package. It’s really good if it’s 3 on 1 and he thinks I’m going (left). You can really get him. It was 3 on 2, but it still worked. (Prince) made me look good – he made it.”

High Energy – During the second-quarter run fueled by Wallace and the backup unit, Johnson pulled off a play that gives a little more insight into his potential. He picked Redd’s pocket in the lane, then took the ball himself past half-court – dribbling at full speed and passing others – with a lefthanded dribble, finally feeding a streaking Arron Afflalo for a dunk to put the Pistons ahead 45-40. It was a combination of skills you don’t see much from veteran big men, let alone 20-year-olds.

AFFLALO: “I was very proud of Amir. I’m a rookie myself, but I was proud of him. He blocked some shots, made some big plays. He was just as essential as anybody in that second quarter.”

BILLUPS: “I thought Amir had a flawless game. He was just everywhere, making every play with either hand. He was on the money. That group in the second quarter really opened the game up for us.”

A little perspective on a resounding sendoff win

The Pistons are too savvy and self-assured to start questioning themselves over three straight losses. After all, the last time they lost three in a row, they turned around and won 10 straight. But a third straight loss on Friday would have sent them into their Western Conference meat grinder trip – a four-gamer which starts with three games in four days against Phoenix, Utah and Denver – on a sour note and set them up for a tailspin. So to win resoundingly – and to get such across-the-board contributions in doing so – sends them West feeling pretty good about the course of their season.

SAUNDERS: “It was important. We started the West Coast trip today. We travel tomorrow and get ready to play a tough game with Phoenix (on Sunday). It’s good to get back on track. We got our competitiveness back.”