Pistons embarrass Cavaliers 116-77

[April 18, 2012]  AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Brandon Knight had 28 points and seven assists, and the Detroit Pistons routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-77 on Tuesday night in one of the NBA's most lopsided games of the season.

Tayshaun Prince added 15 points for the Pistons and Jonas Jerebko scored 14. Detroit led 61-38 at halftime and scored the first 16 points of the third quarter. It was 100-50 after three.

The Cavaliers were without rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who was out with a right shoulder problem and hasn't played since April 3. Irving could return Wednesday night against Philadelphia. Cleveland forward Alonzo Gee was a late scratch because of a left ankle sprain.

It was easily Detroit's most lopsided victory of the season, and the only real suspense in the fourth quarter was whether the Pistons could match or exceed the biggest blowout in the entire league this season. According to STATS, LLC, the mark is Portland's 112-68 victory over Charlotte on Feb. 1.

Detroit led 116-68 before Cleveland's Manny Harris made a 3-pointer, Lester Hudson drove for a three-point play and Harris hit another 3.

Harris led the Cavaliers with 18 points.

Detroit shot 60 percent from the field, with Knight going 11 of 12. Greg Monroe had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Jason Maxiell scored 11 points.

Cleveland entered the game at the bottom of the Central Division, but with only one more loss than Detroit. But the Cavaliers couldn't have looked more overmatched.

Maxiell had two early dunks, and the Pistons raced to an 18-5 lead. Detroit led by 11 points after one and shot 12 of 16 in the second quarter, all but wrapping up the game by the time Bell Biv DeVoe came out for a halftime concert.

It got really out of hand in the third quarter. A dunk by Monroe made it 77-38 before Anthony Parker made a 3-pointer for Cleveland's first points of the half.

In the final seconds of the quarter, Monroe -- Detroit's center -- dribbled from around his own basket all the way into the front court before making a nice pass to Knight for a dunk at the buzzer to put the Pistons ahead by 50.

NOTES: The Pistons shot 18 of 20 from the free throw line. ... The Cavaliers made 27 field goals and turned the ball over 19 times.

[Associated Press; By NOAH TRISTER]

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