Los Angeles - "Mr. Big Shot" came up huge when the Detroit Pistons needed him the most. Chancey Billups erupted for 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and the surging Pistons won their ninth straight game by clipping the Atlanta Hawks 94-90 on Tuesday night.
"Late in games, if I have an opportunity I'm going to take advantage of that, whether I'm hot or not," Billups said. "I always feel like that fourth quarter is a different game."
Rasheed Wallace scored 21 points and fellow-All-Star Richard Hamilton had 12 for the Central Division-leading Pistons (38-13) who swept the four-game season series.
Josh Smith scored 30 points while rookie Al Horford had 12 points with 16 rebounds for the Hawks (21-27) who have dropped three in a row.
"Chauncey hit four big shots in the fourth quarter," Smith said. "That's what type of player he is. His nickname is Mr. Big Shot and in the clutch everybody on that team knows he's going to take those shots."
Billups missed his first eight field goals through three quarters, but he ran off 10 straight points, including two three-pointers, putting the Pistons ahead, 89-86 with 2:22 left to play.
"It was like a lid was on the basket most of the game," Billups said. "Some of those shots in the fourth were the same shots I shot early in the game. I just couldn't hit them."
The Eastern Conference All-Star guard wasn't finished shooting down the Hawks just yet.
After Hamilton made one-of-two free throws, Smith nailed a three with 43 seconds remaining, pulling Atlanta within 90-89. However, Billups buried a backbreaking 18-foot jumper over Anthony Johnson with 22 seconds for a 92-89 advantage.
Smith split two free throws, but Hamilton made both of his with 14 ticks left and the Pistons escaped with the victory.
"Chauncey has been making big shots for the Pistons over the last seven or eight years," Hawks head coach Mike Woodson said. "He made two big threes to give them a nice cushion. He then hit the big two when we needed a stop."
Elsewhere: Boston Celtics 104, Indiana Pacers 97 Paul Pierce had 28 points, 12 rebounds and hit a key jumper with 52 seconds left, leading the injury-depleted Celtics to their 40th victory of the season.
Ray Allen scored 23 points, Leon Powe, filling in for injured centre Kendrick Perkins, added 16 with nine rebounds for league-best Boston (40-9) which played its eighth straight game without All-Star Kevin Garnett (abdominal muscle strain).
Danny Granger had 18 points with 10 rebounds for the Pacers (21-31) who were without injured starters Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley.
New Jersey Nets 92, Minnesota Timberwolves 88 Vince Carter had 17 points with 10 assists, Bostjan Nachbar scored 14 off the bench, and the Nets sent the Timberwolves to their 23rd road loss in 25 games.
Sebastian Telfair scored 24 points while Al Jefferson added 16 and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves (10-40) losers of four in a row.
Denver Nuggets 114, Miami Heat 113 (OT) J.R. Smith scored 28 points with a career-high eight three-pointers, Carmelo Anthony had six of his 22 points in overtime, and the visiting Nuggets sent the hapless Heat to its eighth straight defeat.
Dwyane Wade scored 29 points with 10 assists while Shawn Marion had 23 points and 18 rebounds for league-worst Miami (9-41) losers in 23 of its last 24 contests.
Wade had an opportunity to give the Heat a much-needed win, but the All-Star guard missed a high-arching 20-foot fade-away bank shot at the final buzzer.
New Orleans Hornets 100, Chicago Bulls 86 Chris Paul had 25 points with 14 assists, sparking the visiting Hornets to their third consecutive victory.
David West and Peja Stojakovic led the Southwest Division-leading Hornets (35-15) with 27 points apiece, while former Bulls centre Tyson Chandler pulled down 16 rebounds.
Argentine Andres Nocioni paced the Bulls (20-31) with 28 points.
Memphis Grizzlies 107, Sacramento Kings 94 Hakim Warrick had season-highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds, helping the host Grizzlies snap a six-game slide.
Rudy Gay scored 21 points while Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro had 19 off the bench for Memphis ((14-37) which owns the league's third worst record.
Kevin Martin paced Sacramento (23-27) with 33 points, but just seven came in the second half.
