Bynum’s 20 assists leads Pistons over Wizards, 101-87

Bynum’s 20 assists leads Pistons over Wizards

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Will Bynum had a career-best 20 assists, Jonas Jerebko scored 18 points, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Washington Wizards 101-87 Friday night in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s worst teams.

Detroit won for just the second time in nine games, while the Wizards lost their sixth straight. Washington finishes a rare back-to-back-to-back set when it hosts Orlando on Saturday.

Bynum became the first Piston to record 20 assists since Isiah Thomas in 1985, and just the third player to reach the mark in the NBA this season, joining Steve Nash (twice) and Darren Collison.

Andray Blatche led the Wizards with 23 points.

The Pistons were without starters Ben Wallace (knee) and Rodney Stuckey (dizzy spells), then lost Kwame Brown to a second-quarter ejection.

That meant the Pistons spent much of the second quarter with 6-foot-11 Austin Daye spelling Bynum at point guard, but it didn’t hurt them. Detroit outscored Washington 29-17 in the period while building a 56-40 halftime lead.

James Singleton led a third-quarter rally that pulled the Wizards within seven points, but Detroit moved the lead back to 77-63 at quarter’s end and cruised to the victory.

Bynum needed three chances for his 20th assist in the final moments, but rookie DeJuan Summers missed a pair of jumpers before Ben Gordon hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

NOTES: Jerebko picked up Detroit’s third technical after a verbal exchange with Singleton. … Bynum, listed generously at an even 6-foot, also matched his career best by blocking a shot. Bynum has four blocks this season — more than either Gordon or Richard Hamilton — and six in his career. … Detroit is 7-1 against Washington in the last two seasons, including a four-game sweep of the series against former coach Flip Saunders this season.