Pistons Clinch but Dream Much Bigger

There was no champagne in the Detroit Pistons’ locker room Monday.

In fact, the Pistons didn’t even realize they clinched their fourth Central Division title in five years by beating the Atlanta Hawks, 91-84, at Auburn Hills, Mich.

“I didn’t know until someone just told me,” Tayshaun Prince said. “I guess that shows you where our minds are right now.”

The win put Detroit two steps up Coach Flip Saunders’ pyramid.

“First you have to make the playoffs, which we did a couple weeks ago, and then you have to win the division,” he said. “Now we have to get home court in the East, home court in the league, and then we have to win the championship.”

Detroit (53-13), whose magic number to clinch the Eastern Conference dropped to nine over Miami, also moved to 40 games over .500 for the first time since the 1988-89 season.

“That’s crazy,” Chauncey Billups said. “This has been one of those special years for us. Hopefully, we can keep it up.”

The Hawks have lost five of six.

Prince scored 18 points, as Detroit put five players in double figures. Ben Wallace scored only five, but added 13 rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots.

“I was just trying to get the tempo up,” Wallace said. “You want to make teams play out of character.”

Al Harrington led the Hawks with 23 points.

Milwaukee 100, Portland 93 -- Michael Redd had 23 points, T.J. Ford added 19 points and 10 assists, and the visiting Bucks won for the fourth time in their last five games by beating the Trail Blazers for the second time in three days.

After going into halftime tied, Milwaukee outscored Portland, 31-16, in the third quarter to take control.

Zach Randolph had 23 points and nine rebounds for Portland, which lost, 97-93, Saturday at Milwaukee.

Portland has lost five in a row.