Double-figure quartet helps down Pistons

LAS VEGAS – Aaron Miles scored eight of his team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks held on down the stretch for a 79-73 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the first of six games Thursday at the NBA Summer League Presented by EA SPORTS.
Shan Foster finished with 11 and Charles Rhodes and James Singleton each chipped in with 10 for Dallas in the win.

“It was a tough game,” Foster said. “Detroit has a lot of good players, and they came out a lot harder, but we were able to overcome some obstacles and get a win.”

Dallas was in control most of the fourth quarter, but Detroit’s Will Bynum kept it interesting -- converting on a steal with 1:22 to play to bring the Pistons within three at 71-68. The teams traded hoops to make it 74-70 with 39.3 to play, but the Mavericks held on for the victory.
Bynum led Detroit with 20 points, while Walter Sharpe finished with 16.

Dallas finishes with a 3-2 record in summer league play in Vegas. The team heads to the Rocky Mountain Revue next.

“It’s been great,” Foster said. “There are a lot of great coaches here and ‘I’ve been able to learn a lot from them and our veterans. I’m just getting better – it’s a process, just getting better every day and trying to learn everything I can -- but in the end I just want to be able to help my team in any way possible.”

Here’s the box and visit the new-and-improved Summer League Central 2008 at mavs.com for video hightlights, stories and more.