FAST BREAKDOWN
Three quick observations from Sunday night’s 107-98 win over the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena
SLAM DUNK – The Pistons have made a habit of alternating good and bad defensive games. To start the new year, they alternated halves. After getting scorched in the first half – Miami scored 37 in the first quarter and 66 by halftime – the Pistons held the Heat to 15 third-quarter points to take an 85-81 lead to the fourth quarter. The Heat, after shooting 65 percent in the first half, shot 4 of 27 to open the second half as the Pistons went on a 27-8 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to avoid a damaging loss to an injury-riddled Heat team.