Pistons trounce Bobcats 109-85 to snap 3-game skid

[April 13, 2012]  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Greg Monroe had 25 points and 11 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons salvage a four-game road trip with a 109-85 rout of the woeful Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday night.

Brandon Knight added 21 points and seven assists while Jason Maxiell was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and finished with 17 points.

Monroe was 11-for-14 from the field.

The Pistons had won six of seven games before embarking on a road trip that included losses to Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, the final two by a combined margin of 53 points.

But they had no such problems with Bobcats, who became the first team this season to lose 50 games.

Detroit shot 61 percent from the field over the first three quarters and led by as many as 36.

D.J. Augustin and Derrick Brown each had 13 points for the Bobcats, who dropped to 0-4 against the Pistons this season.

It was more of the same for the Bobcats, who've now lost 14 straight games, two short of the franchise record set earlier this season. It was Charlotte's 17th loss by 20 or more points.

The Bobcats, who announced earlier in the day that leading scorer Corey Maggette will miss the remainder of the season with a strained Achilles, struggled defensively.

The Pistons repeatedly went inside and scored on Byron Mullens, who became a defensive liability on this night progressed and saw limited playing time.

Inside or outside, it didn't matter -- everything seemed to work on this night for the Pistons (22-36). At times it appeared the Bobcats were stuck in glue on defense.

The Pistons got plenty of easy baskets in the first half and led by as many as 19 before taking a 52-40 lead into the locker room.

Led by Monroe and Maxiell, Detroit shot 58 percent from the field in the opening half. Monroe was 7 of 10 from the field, while Maxiell, who came in averaging just 6.3 points per game, converted on all six shots.

NOTES: New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, a Charlotte native, attended Thursday night's game. Nicks was a local star at Independence High and went on to play at North Carolina. ... Gana Diop made his first appearance for the Bobcats in 21 games for the Bobcats. ... Bobcats rookie center Bismack Biyombo left the game briefly with a left ankle sprain but did return after getting taped.

[Associated Press; By STEVE REED]

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