WASHINGTON -- Brandon Knight put to rest any thought the Detroit Pistons were rushing him back.

That thought died not only because he scored a career-high 32 points to help the Pistons to a 96-95 victory Wednesday night after missing three games with a hyperextended right knee.

It also can be dismissed because he tried to dunk every time he got near the basket.

The 6-foot-3 guard isn't exactly known for his high-flying act, but why not when you have fresh legs?

But Knight wanted to talk about the two he missed -- one where he was fouled and another that was barely blocked -- not the vicious throw down he had early in the game.

"There were two or three of them where I didn't," Knight said of his dunk attempts. "I know if I was at 100 (percent), I felt that I would have dunked those."

The Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak and have won three of their last four road games. They made it difficult, almost coughing up a 16-point, third-quarter lead before surviving Trevor Ariza's corner triple attempt as the buzzer sounded.

Knight attacked all night and seemed to be moving faster than others on the floor. He also was 5-for-6 from three-point land.

There has been a lot of ink wasted on whether Knight, the once point guard of the future, can coexist with new acquisition Jose Calderon (18 assists, two turnovers). So did the three games watching from the bench help Knight adjust?

He said it didn't.

"I think the biggest thing for us is just playing with energy," Knight said. "That's what I saw just sitting on the side for the past three games -- our lack to fight. So for me it wasn't about making shots or doing anything like that. It was about coming in and trying to make sure we play Pistons basketball and play with some fight."

Knight admitted there is still discomfort in his knee. "It's not good, but there's going to be some discomfort," he said.

The Pistons swept the season series against the Wizards, 4-0, a nice treat for the young team.

"I think this was a great win for us tonight," said Greg Monroe, who had 26 points and 11 rebounds. "Getting a fourth win against any team in one season is a great thing. The effort was something I would like to see each and every game."

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PISTONS