AUBURN HILLS — The Detroit Pistons often play well against the NBA’s better teams, and this time, it earned head coach Stan Van Gundy his 400th head-coaching victory. The Pistons beat the Atlanta Hawks 105-95 Tuesday and salvaged a win in the four-game season series with the Eastern Conference’s runaway leader. The Pistons (29-45) equaled their victory total from each of the last two seasons, when they finished 29-53. They have eight games remaining. Detroit scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 83-72, and went on to lead by as many as 16 points late. Atlanta, after a sizzling first half, found the resistance stiffer in a second half when it shot 37.8 percent from the field. The Pistons won for the fifth time in their last six games in getting Van Gundy, who previously coached in Miami and Orlando, his 400th career win. His career record is 400-253. MORE
