AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- With interim coach John Loyer hoarsely shouting instructions, Brandon Jennings and the Detroit Pistons ran away from the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter. Jennings finished with 21 points, and the Pistons beat San Antonio 109-100 on Monday night in Loyers first game at the helm. Detroit abruptly fired Maurice Cheeks on Sunday after only 50 games as coach, but although theyve been unimpressive for the most part this season, the Pistons have played better lately. The comfortable win over the Spurs was Detroits fifth in seven games. "I told them it was going to be an emotional day," Loyer said. "I told them I thought we can play, collectively, for longer periods of time better than we have." Rodney Stuckey scored 20 points for the Pistons, and Greg Monroe added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Marco Belinelli led the Spurs with 20 points. Detroit pulled even with Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Pistons have shown flashes recently of the potential they thought theyd have this season. After signing Josh Smith and trading for Jennings in the off-season, Detroit is barely ahead of last seasons pace in terms of wins and losses. Jennings has been terrific lately, though. After scoring 35 points with 12 assists Saturday against Denver, he orchestrated another strong offensive effort Monday. San Antonio, meanwhile, turned the ball over eight times in the third quarter, when Detroit pushed its lead from 11 to 20. The Spurs finished with 19 turnovers, giving the Pistons all the help they would need. "We lost the game because we probably played the worst defence weve played all season, especially in the first half," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "We didnt bring it mentally or physically, and the Pistons did." Loyers sideline demeanour was quite a change from Cheeks more calm approach. At one point, Loyer came all the way across midcourt to give instructions as the Pistons were trying to hold on. "Theyre both two different coaches," Jennings said. "One is loud, the other one is kind of laid back. Theyre both great guys -- especially Cheeks. Hes like a father figure to me, so hes definitely going to be missed. But this is the NBA, so I know how that goes." The Pistons went on a 12-2 run in the third to take a 73-52 lead, then added a few more highlights later in that quarter. Smith threw down a one-handed dunk after a turnover by San Antonio, and Jennings made a layup after Detroits Andre Drummond blocked Aron Baynes shot emphatically off the glass. Jennings missed from the perimeter, then stole the ball near midcourt and went in for a three-point play to make it 84-62. "I told the guys today, just when we were in the locker room, Im so proud of them," Loyer said. "I only thought there was about a three-minute period where they showed more energy, more determination than us. You show determination, hustle for 45 of the 48 minutes, youre going to be pretty successful most nights." San Antonio is in the midst of a nine-game road swing. Belinelli was back after dealing with back spasms, but the Spurs were without Manu Ginobili (left hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (right hand). The Pistons went on a 15-4 run in the second quarter, capped by a 3-pointer by Jennings that put them ahead 57-45. "They played hard," San Antonios Danny Green said. "They wanted to play with some passion and they got loose balls." NOTES: The Pistons have won five straight at home after starting 7-15 at The Palace. ... After Cheeks firing, Popovich was asked about the key to his longevity with the Spurs. "I have information on everybody," he joked. "And Ive threatened everybody Ill let it out unless they keep me as long as I want to stay." ... Ginobili has joined the Spurs on this road trip, but hes not expected to play until after the All-Star break. Cheap Air Jordan 1 China . The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour, had a 9-under 135 total at Emirates Golf Course in the Ladies European Tours season-ending tournament. Nike Air Max 97 China Wholesale . 98 jersey in a game yet, and already its a big seller. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/wholesale-balenciaga-shoes-china/speed-trainer.html . Lineup news, Fantasy and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES St. Louis Blues – After rolling the San Jose Sharks for seven goals, for the second time in a week, the Blues have a bunch of players on hot streaks. Yeezy Boost 350 V3 For Sale .com) - Robert Martin and Josh Hicks combined for more than 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns, as Rutgers rolled past North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Replica China .C. -- Eric Staal kept his focus after his apparent breakaway goal was waived off early in the third period. TORONTO -- The game marked the return of Rudy Gay, but the night belonged to the Toronto Raptors. Terrence Ross scored 18 points to lead the Raptors to a 99-87 victory over Sacramento on Friday, the Kings first visit since the mammoth seven-player deal in December that sent Gay to the west coast. A month after the Kings manhandled Toronto in Sacramento, the Raptors turned the tables on their visitors, putting their personal feelings aside and showing just how much theyve improved since the roster remake. "We have to treat them like an enemy rather than a friend because we all have friends on that team," said Patrick Patterson, one of the four players who came to Toronto in the deal. "Going into this game we have to treat it like theyre the enemy, as if theyre a villain and were a superhero pretty much. We cant be friendly with them." Patterson and DeMar DeRozan scored 15 points apiece, while Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and Amir Johnson had nine rebounds to go with nine points for the Raptors (34-26), whove won eight of their last 10 games. DeMarcus Cousins topped Sacramento (22-40) with 24 points, while Gay had 15. The Raptors led for all but the games opening two minutes and pulled away in the third quarter to take an 80-63 advantage into the fourth. Toronto stretched its lead to as much as 23 points in the fourth. The Kings would cut that to 10 points on a Ben McLemore three-pointer with a minute to go that made the game seem closer than it was. The night marked Gays first trip back to Toronto since Raptors GM Masai Ujiri shipped him, Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy to Sacramento for Greivis Vasquez, Patterson, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes on Dec. 9, just 18 games into the season. The first time the teams played last month in Sacramento -- a 109-101 Kings win that saw Sacramento lead by 20 going into the fourth -- was far too friendly for coach Dwane Caseys liking. "I have friends whove been in this league 20-plus years, but I see them in the summertime," the Raptors coach said. "Guys were very professional, workmanlike, not disrespecting their friends on the other team but knowing we had a job to do when you walk out between those lines. "After the game is over you can shake hands, hug, kiss, whatever you want to do. But we have to have that razor-like focus every time we walk on the floor." Salmons said the difference Friday was "We let go of the personal stuff. "We said we were doing that the first game, but clearly we didnt, so it was time to just let it go and just play basketball. It was more professional this time around." The Raptors were 6-12 when Ujiri rewrote his roster in December. Toronto has gone 28-14 since to sit third in the Eastern Conference. Gay, who shot 5-for-13 on the night, wasnt a huge factor in the game. He received a smattering of boos during the Kinggs introductions, and again when he had Sacramentos first basket, but the level of hostility was nothing like that unleashed on former Raptors Vince Carter or even Andrea Bargnani when they play in Toronto.dddddddddddd The loudest jeers -- and cheers -- of the night came when Gay threw down a huge one-handed dunk but was called for travelling. "Honestly I didnt even pay attention to it," Gay said. "Boo or cheer, either way I have to go out and do my job." Of the former Kings, Patterson had the strongest night against his former team, scoring on an array of shots, including a pretty put-back basket and huge alley-oop dunk in the fourth quarter that brought the crowd of 18,658 to its feet. He was 3-for-4 from three-point range. Casey called Patterson a "godsend" in stretching the floor. "Not only that but his intensity, his work ethic, how hard he plays," Casey said. Patterson said hes thrilled to have come into a team in Toronto where he fits so well. "It feels great, knowing that my teammates look for me, everyone on down the list is encouraging me to shoot the ball no matter where I am on the court, and when the coaching staff is drawing up plays for you and the ball seems to be bouncing your way at times, and then you have the crowd behind you, its definitely a great feeling," Patterson said. The Raptors shot 47 per cent on the night to the Kings 42. The Raptors were the superior team from long range, shooting 10-for-21 from beyond the arc. The Kings went just 5-for-19 from three-point range. Toronto looked rejuvenated from a rare four days off without a game, racing out to an early eight-point lead in a foul-filled first quarter. The Raptors were up 29-19 going into the second. "I thought that we were awful tonight," said Kings coach Michael Malone. "The first and third quarter I thought that our starting group was not ready to play. . . I am very disappointed with the effort tonight and we are nowhere near good enough to come into a playoff teams house and think we can go through the motions and try to turn it on when we want to. "We are not that good a team." The Raptors stretched their lead to 13 early in the second and then went cold, shooting 33 per cent in the quarter and allowing the Kings to pull to within two points. Toronto took a 51-44 advantage into the dressing room at halftime. Ross poured in nine points in the third including a three with 3:13 left that put the Raptors up by 15, their biggest lead to that point. A layup by Patterson with three seconds left sent Toronto into the fourth quarter with an 80-63 advantage. NOTES: The Raptors are in Minnesota on Sunday and Brooklyn on Monday then return to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. . . Toronto, which beat Golden State 104-98 at ACC last Sunday, hasnt dropped back to back home games since losing three straight in late November. ' ' '