Wall leads Wizards past Pistons

WASHINGTON — John Wall and the Washington Wizards tasted success at the end of last season. Now the All-Star guard and his teammates are feasting on opponents with a success rate not seen by the organization in decades.

Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings had 32 points and 10 assists, but Wall finished with 27 points and 11 assists as the Wizards prevailed for a 107-103 win Wednesday night.

Rasual Butler scored 18 points off the bench and center Marcin Gortat added 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, winners of two straight and six of seven.

Washington improved to 6-2 for the first since 1975-76.

“I wasn’t thought about in this world. I wasn’t even born yet,” the 24-year-old Wall said when presented with the historic factoid.

After struggling at the Verizon Center last season, the Wizards are 3-0 home this campaign, their best start since 2006-07.

“We all came in with a mindset of knowing how we finished last season,” said Wall, referring to Washington reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals. “We just wanted to come in and take care of home court first and play good on the road at the same time.”

The Pistons (2-6) scored 100 points for the first time this season, but lost their third straight game and fell to 0-4 on the road.

The lead changed sides on five consecutive baskets in the fourth quarter.

Wall’s floating jump shot with 1:11 remaining gave Washington the lead for good. Gortat’s dunk with 38 seconds left put the Wizards up 103-100.

Wall sparked Washington’s early offense by aggressively attacking the lane and drawing fouls. He made 13 of 16 free throws, but missed the second of two attempts with 7.2 seconds remaining.

Forward Paul Pierce, who had 13 points, tipped the rebound to Butler. The final player added to Washington’s roster entering the season, Butler sank two free throws with 4.0 seconds left.

Forward Greg Monroe had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Pistons, who led by 13 in the first half. After Washington pulled ahead 70-63 in the third quarter, Detroit fought back and entered the final period up 85-82.

“It’s tough,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Over the course of the game we didn’t defend well enough, particularly in transition. Just to get run on like that is disturbing. And we didn’t rebound as well as we’ve rebounded. I thought down the stretch we played a little bit better. We just didn’t get it done.”

The Wizards outrebounded the hulking Pistons 46-39 and scored 19 second chance points.

Detroit center Andre Drummond’s season-long struggles continued. He finished with two points on 1 of 3 field goal attempts, five rebounds and four personal fouls in 23 minutes.

Asked to explain Drummond’s limited production, Van Gundy, now eight games into his stint with the Pistons, dismissively answered, “I don’t have any idea.”

Drummond, a career 61 percent shooter from the field, is under 42 percent this season. He sulked in front of his locker with a towel over his head for several minutes before speaking with reporters.

“As long as we all stay in it we’re going to be fine,” he said. “It’s not an individual game. Everybody has their streaks of shaky moments. It’s an 82 game season. Not getting down on myself. Just have to continue to play, continue to do the right things and things will start to fall for me.

Jennings scored 12 points in the opening six minutes, one more than he had in his previous game, and 16 in the first quarter.

Wall sank 11 of 13 free throws and scored 15 points in the first half.

Butler made 7 of 8 shots from the field including both 3-point tries and scored 11 points after halftime.

The Wizards and Pistons split four games last season, but Detroit has won (14 of 18) overall. The Eastern Conference foes will meet two additional times during the 2014-15 campaign.

NOTES: F Kris Humphries had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Wizards. …Pistons swingman and ex-Wizard Cartier Martin (right foot) remains sidelined and forward Luigi Datome missed his fifth straight game with a right hamstring strain. … In his previous analyst role, Stan Van Gundy publically doubted whether Wizards point guard John Wall could become a franchise player. The Pistons coach spoke a different tune pregame. “Probably 20 games into last year I came out and said he’s a whole different guy and clearly capable of carrying a team,” Van Gundy said of Wall, a first-time All-Star last season. “I think that’s what he’s proven to be.” …The Wizards continue their three-game homestand Saturday against the Orlando Magic. …Detroit plays at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.