NEW YORK, 31 December 2005 — Chauncey Billups scored 30 points and Richard Hamilton added 25 points and a season-high nine assists in guiding the red-hot Detroit Pistons to a 106-101 win over the Miami Heat at Auburn Hills on Thursday.
Rasheed Wallace chipped in with 21 points, while Tayshaun Prince had 13 points and Ben Wallace pulled down 14 rebounds to helping the Pistons improve their record to an NBA-best 24-3 with their ninth straight victory.
The Heat got big efforts from their two top players, Dwyane Wade hitting for 33 points, nine assists and six rebounds and Shaquille O’Neal adding 26 points, but they still absorbed just their third loss in 10 games.
Leading by one point at the intermission, the Pistons took control in the third out-scoring the Heat 26-20 to surge in front 79-72.
Led by Wade, who was six-for-six from the floor in the final period, the Heat would pull level at 99-99 with just over two minutes to play.
However, a layup from Billups followed by a three-pointer from Rasheed Wallace put the Pistons back in control at 104-99.
In San Antonio, Michael Finley had 18 points and Tim Duncan added 17 points and Tony Parker 16 to spark the NBA champions Spurs to a 111-84 rout of the New Orleans Hornets and their fourth win in five games.
David West was the only member of the Hornets to reach double figures scoring 18 in the loss.
In Denver, Ray Allen poured in a season-high 39 points and Rashard Lewis helped out with 27, sparking the Seattle SuperSonics to a 112-105 win over the injury-hit Nuggets.
Carmelo Anthony had 32 points in the loss for the Nuggets, who were without Marcus Camby due to a broken finger.
