Michigan Sports
Hamilton, Gordon lead Pistons past Grizzlies
AP
Hamilton scored 25 points, Gordon added 22, and the Pistons ran away from the Memphis Grizzlies 96-74 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
The two guards, both out of UConn, were a combined 17 of 31 from the floor, and that was after Hamilton started the game missing five of his first six shots.
‘‘I don’t think there’s ever been a problem, especially in this locker room,’’ Hamilton said of sharing time with Gordon. ‘‘We’re UConn guys. We know how to win.
‘‘We just go out there and try to feed off each other on the floor.’’
Hamilton left the game after spraining his right ankle on a shot with just under 5 minutes to play. He hit one of the two ensuing free throws, then went straight to the dressing room on the next dead ball. Postgame X-rays on the ankle were negative.
Tayshaun Prince finished with 14 points for Detroit in new coach John Kuester’s debut, while Rodney Stuckey scored 12.
‘‘I thought Memphis came out strong in the beginning of the game,’’ Kuester said. ‘‘Our guys were taking the punches and were very resilient in how they competed on every possession.’’
Marc Gasol led Memphis with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Rudy Gay scored 16 points, and Zach Randolph recorded 14 points and nine rebounds in his first game with the Grizzlies, who were without the injured Allen Iverson.
‘‘We didn’t play with any kind of passion at all,’’ Memphis point guard Mike Conley said. ‘‘If we don’t do that, then we don’t have a chance to win any games.’’
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