Pistons win on Drummond’s tip-in

INDIANAPOLIS — Guard Brandon Jennings put the Detroit Pistons in a position to win Friday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and then center Andre Drummond put the game against the Indiana Pacers in the victory column.

Drummond’s tip-in of a missed Jennings shot with 0.3 seconds remaining lifted the Pistons to a 98-96 victory against the struggling Pacers, who have lost consecutive games to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Minnesota Timberwolves and now the Pistons.

Meanwhile, the Pistons have won 10 of 12 after a 5-23 start.

Jennings, who scored 37 points, drove to the left side of the basket, missing a runner that Drummond tipped in to win it. Drummond finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

“Games have been like that for us lately, but we’re learning how to close them out,” said Jennings, who made 8 of 13 shots from 3-point range, becoming the second consecutive opposing guard to torch the Pacers’ perimeter defense. Minnesota guard Mo Williams had 52 in a Tuesday victory against Indiana.

Detroit made 13 of 31 shots from beyond the arc and has hit 23 treys in two victories this season against Indiana. The Pistons have won seven consecutive road games for the first time since February of the 2001-2002 season.

“We’re learning how to get stops at the end,” Jennings said. “We’re learning how to convert. On the last play, my main thing was to take it to the rim, definitely get the last shot. If anything, get a floater, and if I missed, I knew Andre or somebody could be there to tip it in.”

With the game tied at 96, Pacers center Roy Hibbert was called for an offensive foul with 23.9 seconds remaining, giving suddenly hot Detroit (15-25) a chance to win.

“We set it up for Brandon to get to his left hand and for me to have an opportunity to tip it in,” Drummond said. “Brandon did a good job driving the ball and dragging out Roy Hibbert to try and block the shot.”

Hibbert led Indiana (15-26) with 14 points, and forwards David West and Damjan Rudez each added 13. The Pacers now are in last place in the Eastern Conference Central Division.

Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy credited his winning combination of Jennings and Drummond.

“We got behind and were not playing well,” Van Gundy said. “Brandon took over at the end. I like the play he made. That is what we wanted, him on the attack at the end. We’ve got two good offensive rebounders in there if Brandon misses.”

Jennings scored 19 third-quarter points to push the Pistons into a 79-76 lead with 12 minutes remaining. Detroit outscored Indiana 30-25 during third-quarter action, although the Pacers began the second half with a burst.

Indiana opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run, capped by forward Solomon Hill’s 3-pointer, for a 62-51 lead. But Jennings fueled a 17-6 Pistons run to tie it at 68 with 5:06 remaining in the period. At that point, Jennings was 7 of 8 from 3-point range and had 26 points.

The Pacers made 14 of 25 second-quarter field-goal attempts (56 percent) to grab a 51-49 halftime lead after trailing by as many as nine during the opening period.

Rudez came off the bench to spark Indiana during the opening 24 minutes with 10 points, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range.

“Jennings caught fire tonight just like Mo Williams did Tuesday night,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “Solomon Hill did a great job on him. We did everything we needed to do to win the basketball game. We have the mindset to do whatever it takes to win, and we had it tonight.”

Indiana’s non-starters scored 50 points, 28 more than Detroit’s bench players, but it was not enough.

“The second unit came in and played some great basketball,” Indiana’s Hill said. “I think they put us ahead by nine or 10 points, but we have to learn to put games away.”

Indiana fell to 2-9 in games decided by three points or fewer while the Pistons improved to 6-4 in one-possession games.

Detroit also outrebounded Indiana 49-44, the first time the Pacers have been outrebounded in the five most recent games.

The Pacers’ non-starters contributed 33 first-half points compared to 10 from Detroit’s bench. Jennings led all scorers through two periods with 14, including 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. Drummond had a double-double by halftime with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Detroit outrebounded Indiana 29-24 during first-half action, but the Pistons were guilty of 10 turnovers, four more than Detroit.

Indiana shot 44.9 percent through two quarters (22 of 49), and the Pistons made 18 of 48 (37.5 percent).

NOTES: The Pacers played without G George Hill (left groin strain) and G/F Paul George (fractured right tibia/fibula). … Beginning with a 119-109 victory over Indiana on Dec. 26, the Pistons have won 10 of 12 after a 5-23 start. … Before Friday’s game, Detroit had won six consecutive road games, the first time the franchise had done that since a stretch from March 3, 2007, through March 16, 2007. Detroit made it seven straight road wins on Friday. … The Pistons’ starting lineup averages just 2.8 years of NBA experience and has an average age of 23.4 years old. … Detroit C Andre Drummond is one of 13 NBA players averaging a double-double this season with 12.2 points and 12.7 rebounds. … While the Pistons are only 5-15 at home, they have a 10-10 road record. … After a nine-game stretch from Dec. 20 through Jan. 4 in which they allowed more than 96 points only once, the Pacers have allowed at least 101 in four of their six most recent games, losing four of those six. … The game featured two of the NBA’s best rebounding teams with Detroit and Indiana tied for the No. 5 ranking at 45.3 per game. … The Pistons return to play the Pacers on Feb. 4 before the teams battle on April 10 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich.