Nets fall to Pistons with Jefferson gone
By Chris Sheridan (Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-12 11:22

The post-Jefferson era began poorly for the New Jersey Nets, who learned Tuesday that they'll be without their leading scorer for the rest of the season and then went out and lost 89-80 to the Detroit Pistons.

New Jersey Nets' Travis Best(6) goes up with a shot as Detroit Pistons' Lindsey Hunter defends Tuesday night, Jan 11, 2005 in East Rutherford, N.J.[AP]

Rasheed Wallace had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Richard Hamilton scored 18 points for the Pistons, who extended their road winning streak to six games.

Richard Jefferson, dressed in all black, watched from the bench as the Nets got 19 points from Vince Carter, 16 from Travis Best and 13 from Jason Kidd while losing for the fourth time in five games.

Earlier in the day, the Nets announced that Jefferson would undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist that he originally injured when he was flagrantly fouled last month by Detroit's Chauncey Billups.

Jefferson had been in a mini-slump ever since, and an MRI revealed the torn ligament. Jefferson will wear a cast for two months after undergoing surgery, and he said he hoped to return for the playoffs — if the Nets qualify.

That'll be a much more daunting task now that the team leader in scoring (22-2) and rebounds (7.3) is out. The loss solidified the Nets' spot at the bottom of Atlantic Division standings.

Detroit won for the 11th time in its last 13 road games after beginning the season 1-5 away from the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons and Miami are the only Eastern Conference teams with winning road records.

Hamilton had seven assists, and Billups added 11 points, four assists and six rebounds. Ben Wallace had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Antonio McDyess came off the bench to score 11 points.

Things fell apart for the Nets after Kidd went to the bench for a brief rest with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. Detroit closed the quarter with a 6-0 run, getting a breakaway dunk from Hamilton with 1.1 seconds left for a 68-59 lead.

The Pistons also scored the first three points of the fourth quarter for a 71-59 lead before Kidd returned with 10:23 left. New Jersey got no closer than five points the rest of the way.

The Nets got a scare late in the second quarter when center Nenad Krstic limped off holding his right knee, but he was back for the start of the second half. ... Rodney Buford started in Jefferson's place, his seventh start of the season, and had 10 points on 5-for-12 shooting. ... Former NBA guard Rod Strickland attended the game, prompting a heckler to shout "How can Rodney Strickland be watching Rodney Buford? It makes no sense." ... Nets' coach Lawrence Frank's record dropped to 37-37.

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