The Detroit Pistons' Jonas Jerebko (33) shoots over the outstretched hand of Golden State Warriors defender Festus Ezeli during the second quarter on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. (D. Ross Cameron/Oakland Tribune/MCT)
Stuckey's stellar play can't stop Pistons' seventh straight loss
OAKLAND, Calif. -- For just a moment, it looked liked the Pistons might actually push a good team to crunch time.
Will Bynum's jump shot with 6:08 left pulled the Pistons to within four, 90-86, and there was a definite sense of impatience from the home crowd.
But the Pistons' inability to match-up with Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Jarrett Jack led to the team's seventh straight defeat.
The duo combined for 50 points in the Warriors' 105-97 victory . . . the Pistons' 10th loss in 11 games.
Curry, in particular, went right at Pistons point guard Jose Calderon and he looked unstoppable all night, scoring 31 points.
And Jack took over down the stretch, scoring six of his 19 points after Bynum's basket.
Rodney Stuckey had maybe his best game in this forgettable season with 22 points. Greg Monroe suffered through a nightmarish game, missing his first eight shots before finishing with 13 points and seven rebounds on 4-for-16 shooting.
In the game's first few minutes, the Pistons (23-44) looked like they wanted to be anywhere but Oracle Arena.
The Warriors (37-29) scored on their first six possessions in racing to a 15-5 lead at the 8:48 mark on a Curry triple.
The onslaught continued for a few more minutes and the crowd was rocking when Curry's 16-footer pushed the lead to 23-11 with 3:49 left in the first quarter.
But Stuckey scored seven points in the last 3:17 of the first . . . with the last bucket a 9-foot pull-up jumper to narrow the deficit to 26-20 late in the first quarter.
The Pistons surge continued into the second quarter and they actually took a one-point lead at 3:44 mark on a Kyle Singler 19-footer. But another Curry triple tied the game at 50 going into halftime.
The Warriors threatened to blow it open once again the third quarter when they pushed the lead back to 10 at the 2:57 mark on a Festus Ezeli free throw. But the Pistons hung around, mainly because of Stuckey's 11 points in the third. The game was still competitive going into the fourth as the Pistons trailed, 80-73.
Jason Maxiell, who missed Monday night's game at Utah because of a left ankle sprain, played well with eight points and 14 rebounds. The Pistons try to avoid a winless four-game trip when they face the Blazers on Saturday at Portland.
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