SAN FRANCISCO _ With all their injuries this season, the Pistons' opponent wasn't the same Golden State Warriors squad that created a dynasty and changed the game.
This is a different Warriors team, one that moved to San Francisco and the confines of the new Chase Center from its previous home at Oracle Arena in Oakland. This season, without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, they have sunk to the worst record in the Western Conference.
With both teams depleted by injuries, it made the work a little easier for the Pistons, who took a 111-104 victory over the Warriors on Saturday night, ending their three-game losing streak and getting their first win on the western trip.
Derrick Rose had 22 points, rookie Sekou Doumbouya, in his second straight start, had another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Svi Mykhailiuk 14 points for the Pistons (13-23). Andre Drummond, amid the trade talk, posted 14 points and 18 rebounds before fouling out.
Rose stole the show, with a switch from coach Dwane Casey, who juggled the starting group for the third quarter, inserting Rose for Tim Frazier, to help alleviate the Pistons' bad starts after halftime. The switch worked, as Rose jump-started the offense with six points in the first six minutes, pushing them to a 17-7 run.
The Pistons built an 81-69 lead in the third after back-to-back steals, leading to baskets by Frazier and Brown. When Rose rested, the Warriors (9-28) went on an 11-0 run and pulled within 83-80 entering the fourth quarter.
Rose started the fourth quarter and played the first 6:14, helping to stabilize things, as the Pistons made another run, 16-6, to open the period. Rose had six points during that stretch and they had a 99-86 lead with 5:59 remaining.
The Warriors made another run _ without Draymond Green, who got two technical fouls and was ejected late in the third quarter _ behind Alec Burks, who had 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Omari Spellman, who had 23 points.
The lead was down to eight after a dunk by Spellman and a 3-pointer by Damion Lee (14 points) but Bruce Brown (14 points) got a lay-in and Langston Galloway followed with a drive to boost the lead until Rose returned for the final 3:18 and helped put the game away.
