AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- Rashard Lewis scored 33 points to lift the Seattle SuperSonics to a 93-72 victory over the Detroit Pistons that snapped a four-game losing streak.
"It was a big win that we really needed tonight," Lewis said. "We came out on this road trip and we ended up with a four-game losing streak and really holding our heads down on this whole road trip. We just really wanted to go back home on a good note and get back on the right track, by winning a ballgame and playing together as a team."
Seattle also had lost four straight road games and its past five visits to Detroit since December 5, 1997. But that all came to an end Friday, while the Pistons' struggles continued.
Ben Wallace contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Pistons lost their fourth straight game. Detroit had not lost four consecutive regular-season contests since April 2-8.
"It always gets worse before it gets better," Wallace said. "I don't know (if we hit bottom). It's starting to look that way. At times we look like a pretty good team. We just have to be a little more consistent."
"The problems start with me," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "I came in here and tried to do some things. I'm still learning about the team, but it's my responsibility to get them to play the right way. Right now it looks like we don't have a clue on either end of the court."
Seattle held a 51-37 halftime lead and never looked back. The SuperSonics used a 12-4 fourth-quarter run to build their largest lead of the game - and season - at 86-64 with 4:20 to go.
The second pick overall in the 2003 draft, Darko Milicic gave Pistons fans a reason to cheer when he scored his first NBA basket on a hook shot with 2:07 remaining. He had been held scoreless in his previous eight games, the longest drought to start a career by any first-round pick in league history.
"It's good, but we lost, so it's no good," Milicic said. "I just like to play, I like to help my team. I like to have great results with my team, not just me."
Seattle entered the game as the second-best 3-point shooting team at 39 percent, while Detroit had the best defense against the 3-pointer, holding opponents to 25 percent. The SuperSonics won that matchup, making 10-of-17 from the arc while the Pistons were 0-of-8.
"We set the tone with the guard play," Lewis said. "Brent (Barry) came out strong to get us the lead and we kept things going from there to keep the lead the rest of the way."
Lewis hit 3-of-5 3-pointers while Barry hit all four of his and finished with 18 points. Ronald Murray hit 1-of-2 and added 19 points.
"We were waiting for them to make a run at us, but it never really happened," Barry said. "I don't know how much of it was our doing, to be honest."
Detroit committed 19 turnovers that led to 23 points for Seattle.
"I never had a problem getting guys to play hard in my life," Brown said. "I never had a problem getting guys to share the ball except the beginning of my stay in Philly and the beginning of my stay in San Antonio. But here, I see the same thing over and over again. If it's not changing, the only guy accountable is me."
