NEW ORLEANS _ The Pistons' reserve group was supposed to be one of their biggest improvements this season. With the addition of Derrick Rose, they got a boost.
They needed the second unit on Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Rose was at the center of it all.
On a night when Andre Drummond and Luke Kennard got in early foul trouble, the reserves carried the weight and Rose was the hero, hitting the game-winning shot on a spinning runner, as the Pistons surged to a 105-103 victory over the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.
It's the fourth win in the last five games for the Pistons (10-14), who have found a groove since Blake Griffin and Rose have gotten healthier and their minutes restrictions have eased some.
Rose was the catalyst, scoring 17 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, including a runner with 38.7 seconds left that tied the game at 103 and the go-ahead lay-in with 0.3 seconds remaining for the final margin.
After Rose's tying basket, the Pelicans' Brandon Ingram, who had 31 points and six rebounds, drove to the rim, but Griffin stopped him on the drive and forced a bad shot, setting the stage for Rose's final dagger.
On his 28th birthday, Langston Galloway had 16 points, with four 3-pointers, Kennard 14 points and Drummond 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The reserves accounted for 68 of the Pistons points on a night when foul trouble forced some unorthodox lineup combinations.
The Pistons persevered, though, even with Griffin's out-of-character offensive night, going 1-of-9 from the field for just five points and four rebounds.
The Pelicans (6-18) lost their ninth straight and had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists from Jrue Holiday and 13 points from Jaxson Hayes.
