NEW ORLEANS _ Avery Bradley missed a game-tying 3-pointer with less than five seconds as the Detroit Pistons' road woes continued with a 112-109 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.
The last sequence was set up when Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday split one of two free throws with five seconds left to account for the final score.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy called timeout to set up the game-tying attempt, but Holiday smothered Bradley and the shot wasn't close.
The game was tied at 105 with two minutes left when Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins (15 of 20 points in the fourth quarter) scored to the give the Pelicans (20-19) a lead they would never relinquish.
The Pistons (21-18) had a good chance for the road victory with star big man Anthony Davis (ankle) left the game midway through the third quarter after scoring 30 points on 12-for-14 shooting.
But the Pistons have now lost nine of 11 road games.
Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 25 points and Andre Drummond added 16 points and 15 rebounds. Bradley finished with 24 points.
E'Twaun Moore scored 23 points for the Pelicans.
Before the game, Van Gundy was asked how well two big men like Davis and Cousins can fit in the game.
Both big men are multi-talented and can shoot from the perimeter so it's not an issue.
"Actually, it's a pretty easy fit," Van Gundy said. "There's really not a problem anywhere. I don't know what they lose."
Dwight Buycks, a two-way contract player, had another solid stretch.
He scored the first six points for the Pistons to start the second quarter on his way to eight points in the first half. He also didn't commit a turnover.
Cousins struggled in the first half, scoring only two points.
Hindered by early foul trouble, he picked up his second foul at the 2:42 mark of the first quarter.
He earned a technical foul midway through the second quarter.
He scored his only basket of the first half on a dunk at the 7:16 mark of the second quarter.
Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (hip) missed his fifth straight game, but he appears to be nearing a return to the lineup.
He went through a strenuous workout after the morning shootaround and punctuated the activity with a one-handed dunk.
He went through pregame warmups and Van Gundy was hopeful during media availability.
But director of sports medicine Jon Ishop decided he wasn't ready for a return.
