Notebook: Pistons 99, Nets 92

Posted Thursday February 9, 2012 12:13AM

By Jake Appleman, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: After a first half in which the Nets shot the ball atrociously (34 percent) and frequently stood still as Pistons players slipped to the basket unnoticed, they fought back valiantly, but eventually fell to the Pistons 99-92.

Greg Monroe (20 points, 12 rebounds) paced the Pistons, who also got strong bench performances from Jonas Jerebko (16 points and seven rebounds) and Ben Gordon (14 points, 6-for-7 from the field), in his first game after missing 11. Deron Williams scored 34 points, including 27 in the second half, but his late heroics couldn't lift the Nets

QUOTABLE: "We have to keep this hunger, though. We have to continue to play and give these efforts so the wins will come more often."
-- Monroe, on the Pistons' season-high three-game winning streak

THE STAT: The Pistons scored 30 points in the paint in the first half. With Gordon hitting his jumper, the majority of their other baskets came on strong work underneath and off of dribble penetration against the Nets' shorthanded front line.

TURNING POINT: The Pistons went on a 9-0 run early in the second quarter run that staked them to a 33-24 lead. The run was highlighted by a Flagrant 1 foul from Johan Petro on Jerebko that was initially ruled a Flagrant 2, deflating the Nets and the crowd as Petro waited to see if he would be ejected.

QUOTABLE II: "That second quarter was really lopsided and that's where they got their confidence. If you had to put your finger on one [defining] moment, that was probably it."
-- Deron Williams

QUOTABLE III: "We were executing, but everything was a step slow. So if it was a rotation, it was a step slow and we weren't really communicating all the way through. Or it was the game plan we messed up on."
-- Anthony Morrow, on the Nets' defensive struggles

INSIDE THE ARENA: Will Blackmon from the Super Bowl champion New York Giants was shown on the Jumbotron.

ROOKIE WATCH: MarShon Brooks spoke to reporters before the game about being selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend. Brooks will be out at least three more games with a broken pinkie toe. Jordan Williams was ineffective in his 11 minutes. The Pistons' Brandon Knight (13 points, four assists) had a more stable performance in his second trip to Newark and Walker Russell Jr. had an excellent spurt in the second quarter. Vernon Macklin did not play.

NOTABLE: Shelden Williams threw down an emphatic dunk early in the first quarter to the delight of the crowd. ... It took over 23 minutes of game time for either team to make a 3-pointer. Jordan Farmar (22 points) broke the drought from the corner. ... Monroe's facial slam put the Pistons up 93-85 and sealed the victory. Keith Bogans hurt his left foot on the play and will undergo an M.R.I. on Thursday. ... Deron Williams' six 3-pointers, all in the second half, tied a career-high. With a four-point play from Williams, the Nets now lead the NBA in that category with six on the season.

UP NEXT: For the Pistons, Friday vs. New Jersey, Sunday vs. Washington, Tuesday vs. San Antonio. For the Nets, Friday @ Detroit, Saturday vs. San Antonio, Wednesday vs. Memphis.