Pistons

It was supposed to mean the end of the free world when the Lakers lost in Cleveland, especially for poor gotta-walk-home John Ireland. Who knew those would be the fun times this season? Those Lakers were easily explained away. It's only February. They're saving their best for last. There's no way Kobe Bryant lets this happen. Magic Johnson: Jerry Buss probably should "blow this team up" It's now May, they've saved their worst for last and Bryant can't help but watch it happen.

RANKINGS, COMMENTS THROUGH SATURDAY? GRAY PANTHERS RULE ?1. SAN ANTONIO (42-8) Forget Lakers, the race they're focused on now is with Celtics. (2) 2. BOSTON (37-12) Scary part is they're built for playoffs, when they get days off. (1) THE YOUNG, THE RESTLESS, THE LAKERS 3. MIAMI (36-14) Modern-NBA-in-a-nutshell rocks Magic's world on its own floor. (4) 4. DALLAS (35-15) In Dirk we trust: 1-3 upon his return, 8-0 since, winning in Boston. (9) 5. LAKERS (35-16)

Lakers tonight VS. DETROIT When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 23-11, Pistons 11-23. Record vs. Pistons: 1-0. Update: Kobe Bryant had 33 points and Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds in the Lakers' breezy 103-90 victory in Detroit in November. The Lakers are notoriously poor at home against Detroit, going 4-4 in recent years, including a split at Staples Center in the 2004 NBA Finals.

Dirk Nowitzki had a season-high 42 points with 12 rebounds, carrying the Dallas Mavericks to an 88-84 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Jason Terry added 16 points and Caron Butler contributed 11 points and eight rebounds to help the Mavericks to their fifth straight win over the Pistons. Tayshaun Prince scored a season-high 19 points and Rodney Stuckey also had 19 for the Pistons. The Mavericks were lethargic for much of the night and trailed by as many as 12 in the third quarter.

Reporting from Auburn Hills, Mich. The Lakers' flight from Milwaukee to Detroit was the most difficult encounter they faced Wednesday, a topsy-turvy ordeal that left them unsettled, frightened even. But when it came time to play basketball later that night against the underwhelming Detroit Pistons, the Lakers put on a show that gave them a 103-90 victory that really wasn't that close at The Palace of Auburn Hills. From the start, it seemed clear the Lakers had put the flight behind them, opening an 11-point, first-quarter lead, a lead that reached 26 points in the fourth.

The rookies got some playing time, and that's all that really mattered to them and to the Lakers. Neither rookie stood out against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night at The Palace in Auburn Hills. But forwards Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks did just enough against the Pistons to earn a measure of praise from the man they most have to impress. "The rookies did all right," Coach Phil Jackson said. "They didn't shoot great, but I thought they ran and they hustled.

CHICAGO ? Derrick Rose matched a career high with 39 points and the Chicago Bulls outscored the Detroit Pistons by 25 points in the fourth quarter for a 101-91 victory Saturday night. Chicago trailed by 21 early in the third quarter and was still down 86-73 about three minutes into the fourth when it went on a 19-2 run to pull out a dramatic win in the home opener. The Bulls outscored the Piston 34-9 in the final 12 minutes. Rose was serenaded by "MVP! MVP!" chants down the stretch, and he certainly played like one, scoring eight in the final period.