DETROIT _ The New Orleans Pelicans blitzing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope coming off a screen midway through the fourth quarter spoke volumes Wednesday.
It's a tactic usually reserved for premiere scorers.
And the Detroit Pistons shooting guard was the top scorer on a floor with Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis.
Caldwell-Pope erupted for a career-high 38 points to lead the Pistons to a 118-98 victory, snapping a three-game losing streak.
After a lethargic effort from the Pistons starting unit yielded a 14-2 run to allow the Pelicans to take a 74-66 lead midway through the third quarter, Caldwell-Pope and the bench closed the quarter with a 17-7 run.
And Caldwell-Pope took it the rest of the way for the Pistons (22-27).
Ish Smith finished the game in place of an ineffective Reggie Jackson (six points, 2-for-8 shooting). Smith finished with 15 points and seven assists.
Tobias Harris scored 19 points off the bench, and Andre Drummond scored 17 points.
Davis scored 31 points for the Pelicans (19-31) _ not quite the 59-point outing he accomplished in his last outing at the Palace.
The Pistons were efficient on offense in taking a 60-54 lead at halftime _ despite 23 points from Davis.
Caldwell-Pope got things started with a 17-point first quarter where he was 4-for-5 from 3-point range.
And Drummond was able to score against Davis in the post several times. Drummond scored 12 points in the first half, as the Pistons shot 58 percent. The Pistons led by 11 points three times in the second quarter
But the Pelicans shot 58 percent as well and cut the deficit to 58-54 with 9.3 seconds left in the half on a Dante Cunningham dunk.
Jackson's short floater with 2.7 seconds left accounted for the halftime score.
Since the game took place nearly a year from Davis' previous huge night, he was topic at the morning walk-through.
A major reason power forward Jon Leuer was signed in the offseason was to guard talented big men with shooting range.
Davis is probably the best example in the NBA.
"I've played against him quite a few times," Leuer said before the game. "He's a talented player. He makes life difficult trying to defend him, but ... you try to make him take contested shots, don't let him get anything easy, don't let him get into a rhythm early because a great player like that, if they get into a rhythm with easy looks, the basket gets bigger for them.
"You just try to make life as difficult. You contest every shot and don't give him anything easy."
