Parsons scores 32 as Mavericks dump Pistons

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chandler Parsons did not let a sore elbow and an achy back prevent him from scoring a season high Wednesday.

Parsons poured in 32 points, including 21 in the second half, and led the Dallas Mavericks to a 117-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at The Palace. Parsons finished two points shy of his career high and also grabbed seven rebounds.

He only cooled off when he got to the locker room. His elbow, which he hyperextended while guarding New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony on Tuesday, was wrapped in ice. So was his lower back, which was sore enough on Saturday to force him to miss a showdown with the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors.

“It’s definitely not 100 percent. It’s just part of a long season,” said Parsons, a small forward who was signed away from Houston with a three-year, $46 million contract during the offseason. “You’re going to have some bumps and bruises. You’ve just got to stick with it and do what you can.”

While Parsons is taking more hits, he is delivering some crushing blows as well. He scored 28 or more points in three of his past five outings.

“I’m just in a good rhythm right now,” he said. “My teammates are doing a great job of finding me, and I’m playing with confidence. I knew it was going to happen, it was just going to be a matter of time. The longer I play with these guys, the more comfortable I’m going to get. We’re rolling right now.”

Shooting guard Monta Ellis added 25 points and eight assists for Dallas, which has an 8-0 road record against Eastern Conference opponents. He had 11 points and five assists during the second half, when the Mavericks (19-8) scored 64 points.

“Parsons hit a lot of big shots, and when we were struggling a little in the third quarter, Monta Ellis just took over the game with some one-on-one stuff that got us going,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “Both of those guys were huge for us.”

Mavs power forward Dirk Nowitzki added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and center Tyson Chandler chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds for the league’s highest-scoring team. Chandler grabbed his 8,000th career rebound during the first quarter to become the 68th player in NBA history to reach the milestone.

Center Andre Drummond racked up 19 points and a season-high 24 rebounds for the Pistons (5-21), who lost their 11th straight at home, a single-season franchise record. They had 10-game home losing streaks from Jan. 23-Feb. 27, 1980, and from Dec. 21, 1993, to Jan. 31, 1994.

Drummond also made four steals and three blocks, but Detroit still lost for the 15th time in 17 games.

“He jumps and it seems like he hangs in the air until he gets his hand on the ball,” Carlisle said of Drummond. “That’s how it looks. I’ve never seen a guy get his hands on so many lobs, shots, everything. I was amazed.”

Drummond gave the Pistons a chance for an upset, but he didn’t get enough help from his teammates.

“I just really raised my game up and played hard on the offensive and defensive end,” he said. “I tried to do my best to help my team get in a good position to win, and it didn’t happen for us.”

Defense was the Pistons’ biggest issue, as the Mavs shot 50.6 percent from the field. They are 11-1 when making at least half of their field-goal attempts.

“They got everything they wanted,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It was an offensive game, even in the first half. We couldn’t keep up with them in the third quarter. They were scoring easily, we were struggling, and the game got away.”

Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 14 points, and point guard Brandon Jennings and power forward Jonas Jerebko had 13 points apiece for Detroit. The Pistons shot 44.9 percent from the floor.

NOTES: Dallas defeated Detroit for the sixth consecutive meeting. … The Mavs have already tied their season record by making at least 15 3-pointers in four games. Coach Rick Carlisle attributes it to dribble penetration. “If you’re getting open looks with no defense because the defense has been broken down, you’re going to have a lot better chance to make them,” he said. Dallas shot 10-for-22 from 3-point range Wednesday. … Detroit SG Jodie Meeks averaged 12.7 points in his first three games after returning from a back injury, but Dallas limited him to nine points. Coach Stan Van Gundy wants to run more set plays for him. “We’ll put more and more in over the days leading up to Christmas when we have more practice time,” he said.