AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Tayshaun Prince's dunk with 16.5 seconds left lifted the Pistons to a 117-116 victory in double overtime over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday night in their first game since their brawl with Indiana.
The Pistons finished the game with five players because three fouled out and four were suspended for their roles in the ugly melee two days earlier.
Charlotte blew a chance to be the first expansion team to beat a defending champion since Portland beat the Knicks during the 1969-70 season. It also failed to win its first road game.
Detroit's Richard Hamilton set a team record for free throws made in a game without missing by going 20-for-20, and he tied a Pistons mark for successful free throws. He scored 30 before fouling out late in regulation. Antonio McDyess scored 24 and Rasheed Wallace had 13 before he also fouled out.
Charlotte's Jason Kapono scored a career-high 25 before fouling out in the second overtime. Primoz Brezec scored a career-high 22 for the Bobcats, and Steve Smith added 22.
About 30 minutes before Sunday's game, suspended players Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman left the arena.
"I'm going home," said Billups, declining further comment.
Ben Wallace never arrived because he knew he would be suspended for at least one game.
Rasheed Wallace made two 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation to tie it at 103 and force overtime.
Charlotte went ahead late in the first quarter and didn't trail until McDyess' turnaround early in overtime.
With just three reserves, Pistons coach Larry Brown complained to official Bill Kennedy midway through the second quarter about the way the game was called.
"We've got eight guys and you're going to foul everybody out!" Brown shouted.
HEAT 93, 76ERS 83: Dwyane Wade scored 25 and host Miami remained unbeaten against East opponents by beating short-handed Philadelphia.
Shaquille O'Neal had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, which is 8-0 against the East and 0-3 against the West.
The 76ers played without Allen Iverson, who skipped the trip to nurse a bruised elbow. Glenn Robinson and Aaron McKie are on the injured list.
CELTICS 102, SONICS 83: Ricky Davis scored 25 and Paul Pierce added 17 points and 10 rebounds as host Boston snapped Seattle's nine-game winning streak.
Ray Allen scored 21 for the SuperSonics, but Rashard Lewis was just 4-of-13 from the field and scored 12 as the Sonics shot 36 percent as a team. Seattle had not lost since dropping its opener to the Clippers.
Gary Payton had 12 points with seven assists, five rebounds and three steals for the Celtics, who had lost two in a row.
RAPTORS 96, SPURS 91: Lamond Murray scored all his 13 in the fourth quarter, helping host Toronto overcome a 20-point second-half deficit.
Rafer Alston had 20 points, a season-high 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Raptors, who ended a five-game losing streak.
Toronto ended San Antonio's six-game winning streak by outscoring the Spurs 33-9 in the fourth. Tim Duncan had 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs.
KNICKS 98, CAVS 88: Jamal Crawford scored 13 of his 24 during a fourth quarter in which host New York held LeBron James scoreless and barely kept him from his first career triple double.
Crawford also had five assists and Kurt Thomas had 16 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Knicks end Cleveland's six-game winning streak.
SUNS 122, CLIPPERS 111: Amare Stoudemire overcame early foul trouble to score 33, and visiting Phoenix won its fourth straight.
Joe Johnson had 23 points and Shawn Marion 22 for the Suns (8-2), who matched their best start since 9-1 in 1980-81. Steve Nash had 22 points and 18 assists.
