Big Shot Billups started firing on all cylinders in the fourth quarter helping Detroit Pistons overcome a LeBron James inspired Cleveland Cavaliers 87-71 in their first match since both the teams faced each other since last season's playoffs.

Chauncey Billups finished the match with 17 points and 10 assists while Tayshaun Prince chipped in with 16 points and eight rebounds as Detroit opened up a good 2 1/2 game lead over the Cavaliers in the Central Division standings.

The match however was no way in comparison with the pulsating seven-game East semi-final series in May which the Detroits won in a dramatic decider. Going behind Cavaliers 22-24 in the first quarter, Detroit bounced back in the second quarter to successively widen the lead, finally pulling away in the fourth quarter.

Leading 57-55 at the end of the third quarter, Detroit pulled away from Cavaliers to open up a 13 point lead with just 9 minutes to go thanks largely due to Billups snapping a series of poor shots from Cavaliers to sink in his first three shots by the third minute of the fourth quarter.

Billups, who was pretty silent for large parts of the game blazed into the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 17 points in the final period. Assuring that this was his normal game, Billups said, "They saw me missing shots early and let their guard down a little. That's when I attacked. That's how I play". Even his opposite number, LeBron James, who finished the game with 26 points and 10 rebounds, had some praise for Billups. "That's Big Shot Billups at his best. Fourth quarter, time to take over", he said.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown was appalled at his team's performance and said that they deserved to lose, as they could not handle the pressure. "We got our behinds kicked. We competed in the first half. In the fourth quarter, when the game got tight Detroit turned it up a notch. We gave into their pressure'', he said.

In the only other game to be played on Thursday, Washington Wizards came back from a half time deficit to defeat Sacramento Kings 126-119.