MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Chauncey Billups scored 25 points and made a tying three-pointer in the final seconds of the first extra period to lead the Pistons past the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-98 in double overtime on Friday night.
The game was interrupted by an angry fourth-quarter tangle between Kevin Garnett and Antonio McDyess, who were each handed technical fouls and ejections. But the drama certainly didn't stop there, as Detroit stuck Minnesota with its first loss in five overtime games this season and only its fifth loss in the last 15 games overall.
Richard Hamilton had 26 points and seven rebounds for the Pistons, who won for just the fourth time in their last 12 games. Billups scored 20 points after the third period.
Mark Blount had 22 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Wolves, who scored eight straight points in the first overtime -- including tightly guarded three-pointers by Randy Foye and Mike James.
The shot by James from the corner with 13.8 seconds left gave Minnesota an 89-86 lead. But Hamilton sneaked inside for a layup. Following two free throws by Foye, Billups made his big 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie it again at 91 with 3.3 seconds left.
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Then Detroit pulled away.
Rasheed Wallace opened the second overtime with a jumper, and he made a turnaround hook shot about two minutes later to put the Pistons up 99-93. The Wolves couldn't come closer than five after that.
A tight game was interrupted with 5:18 remaining in regulation and the scored tied at 70. McDyess knocked Mark Madsen over with a forearm shiver, Garnett got mad and chucked the ball at McDyess -- who charged at Garnett with his fist cocked.
Garnett was poised to punch, too, and took a swipe at McDyess as he partially retreated, but teammates and officials stayed between the two and no blows were landed. Garnett had 14 points and tied a season high with 19 rebounds.
Coach Flip Saunders, coaching just his second game at Target Center with the visiting team after nearly 10 seasons running the Timberwolves, put new arrival Chris Webber into the starting lineup so he could get more work with Billups.
Billups, who had 26 points and seven assists on Wednesday, his first since an eight-game injury absence, struggled along with most of his teammates in the first half. The Pistons went 1-for-10 from 3-point range, though they got several easy dunks underneath to stay close, three by Webber.
Saunders spent the past couple of days downplaying a rift with Wallace, who had 18 points, nine rebounds and another technical foul for complaining to referee Violet Palmer. Though Wallace has had a long, hot-headed history, Saunders has been trying to get him to play with more emotion lately.
Garnett's offensive game has been off all week. After shooting 13-for-33 and totaling 32 points over his last two games, he missed five of his seven field-goal attempts and didn't get to the free-throw line in the first half with Wallace hounding him most of the time. Sixteen of Garnett's rebounds were defensive.
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Ricky Davis had five points in 23 minutes for Minnesota. Replaced by Foye during a third-quarter timeout, Davis looked peeved and walked to the locker room before assistant coach Rex Kalamian went after him. Davis was back on the bench later, but didn't play again. James gave him a pep talk at one point.
NOTES: Minnesota's Marko Jaric missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right thumb. Coach Dwane Casey said Jaric would return Sunday at Phoenix. ... With Webber in the lineup, Dale Davis and Nazr Mohammed have become less useful. Saunders said after the morning shootaround that he spoke with Davis to assure him he wasn't being shelved and would still get plenty of playing time against bigger centers.
