2-10 Detroit 98 Toronto 92

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Detroit 98 Toronto 92

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Chris Webber is a big reason the Detroit Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Led by their most recent addition, the Pistons (30-18) will try for a sixth straight win Saturday when they host Toronto Raptors in a matchup of division leaders.

Though the Raptors (27-23) are 9-16 on the road and have lost their last six at The Palace of Auburn Hills, they will be trying for a season-high sixth straight win. Toronto leads the Atlantic Division by 3 1/2 games over second-place New Jersey.

NBA

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 10 (AP) -- Flip Saunders knows Rasheed Wallace walks a fine line.

Wallace can be one of the league's best players, as well as one of its most emotional and physical. Or he can be maddeningly frustrating, making silly fouls and causing his team points.

"It's a catch-22 with Sheed,'' the Detroit Pistons coach said. "He gets fired up like he did tonight, and he's unstoppable, and I'm not just talking about offensively. His defense was just as good. But you worry about losing him for the night.''

Wallace made up for a fourth-quarter technical foul Saturday night by scoring six points of his season-high 28 points late in the game, helping the Pistons beat the Toronto Raptors 98-92.

NBA

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Rasheed Wallace picked up his 15th technical foul of the season late in a tight contest against the Toronto Raptors Saturday night.

And what follows after Wallace receives a technical foul is up in the air, Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

Wallace can dominate. Or he gets ejected.

"It's a Catch-22 with Sheed," Saunders said. "He gets fired up like he did tonight and he's unstoppable, and I'm not just talking about offensively. His defense was just as good."

'Sheed gets 15th tech, 28 points in win

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AUBURN HILLS -- Maybe there is a conspiracy afoot.

Because no matter what the Pistons, particularly Rasheed Wallace, do - or don't do - there seems to be a technical foul waiting somewhere.

The Pistons endured another one of those games Saturday, as Wallace picked up technical No. 15 but used his anger toward a 98-82 win over the Raptors at The Palace.

More than a few Pistons percolated on an emotional simmer, but Wallace was most definitely boiling for the entire game. He used the roiling ire to score a season-high 28 points, plus seven boards and two blocks.

Wallace paces Pistons to sixth straight win

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Sports Photo Gallery - Pistons defeat Raptors, 98-92 - The Detroit News Online

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich.–All first-place teams are not created equal.

Almost, maybe. But not quite. And not yet.

The Raptors saw their five-game winning streak snapped in a 98-92 loss to the Detroit Pistons last night in a raucous affair that went down to the final two minutes before the more veteran hosts pulled away.

TheStar.com - Sports - Raptors keep it close, but Pistons' maturity pays off

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- While acknowledging the loudening buzz emanating from his club the other day, Sam Mitchell, the Raptors coach, pointed out his roster's relative anonymity. Said Mitchell: "The names on the back of the jerseys don't scare you."

They scared the P.A. announcer at The Palace of Auburn Hills last night. The man behind the microphone referred to Jorge Garbajosa, at one low moment, by a moniker that resembled "Gar-Har-Boss." He called Andrea Bargnani, on various attempts, "Barney-Yarney" and "Barney-Yoni" and, at his breaking point, simply "Barn" – one syllable. So much for the pre-game tutorial from a member of the Raptors' media relations staff.

But fair enough. Perhaps household-name status shouldn't come with a half a season of heroics. And last night the 2004 champion Pistons pronounced their superiority somewhat tenuously, but they still showed the Raptors how difficult it can be to knock off a veteran collection of bigger-named talent. Cut the local hoopsters some slack for playing the second of back-to-back games after Friday night's home win over the L.A. Lakers. But Detroit's 98-92 win – its sixth straight and 10th in 12 games since Chris Webber joined its starting lineup – was evidence that, even in the wretched East, there's some space between the team with the best record and a surging up-and-comer. While the five-game Toronto win streak that preceded the contest showcased many of the visitors' strengths – including ever-improving perimeter shooting and Chris Bosh's multi-faceted post-based game – last night highlighted a few key weaknesses. They're still among the league's worst rebounding teams, for one. And when faced with a more physical opponent – like the Pistons or Tuesday night's perpetual nemesis, the Chicago Bulls – they struggle to find ways to get easy buckets.

TheStar.com - Sports - This was one night that Bosh would rather forget about

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Morris Peterson usually attracts his fair share of media attention when the Raptors play at the Palace of Auburn Hills, given he is from nearby Flint and played at Michigan State.

But prior to last night's game against the Detroit Pistons, Peterson was surrounded by media wanting to know how he compares the current Raptors squad to the 2001-02 team that took the Pistons to five games in the first round of the playoffs.

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Basketball - NBA Toronto: No place like home for MoPete

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- As the Palace of Auburn Hills public address announcer butchered the pronunciation of Raptors names, such as Barni-own-ee for Bargnani and Garaboush for Garbajosa, the Pistons cut through the Toronto defence.

The Raptors led by as much as 10 early in the game, but fatigue appeared to be a factor late for the Raptors, who defeated the Los Angeles Lakers the night before. In the end, the Pistons held on for a 98-92 victory last night.

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Basketball - NBA Toronto: Schooled at the Palace

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AUBURN HILLS -- Score one for Rasheed Wallace.

Stu Jackson, the NBA director of operations, has rescinded the technical foul called on Wallace on Saturday night against Toronto. His technical foul count remains at 14, two shy of earning him a one-game suspension.

"The way the rule states, players are allowed some emotional outburst, a quick response," said coach Flip Saunders, who got the news at about 5:30 p.m. Monday. "As long as they don't carry on."

League rescinds Wallace technical