Final score: Pistons finally beat Bulls, 99-85

The last time the Pistons beat the Bulls was a couple days before Christmas in 2008, a month after the Pistons unceremoniously traded Chauncey Billups. Rodney Stuckey scored a career-high 40 points and Allen Iverson (shudder) only took seven shots - missed all of them, but it was only seven! - and had eight assists opposite one turnover.

I remember being out that night, looking at the box score of the game on my phone, excitedly telling my fellow Pistons-fans friends I was with and subsequently thinking, Wow, 40 points? Joe Dumars might really be an evil genius.

Stuckey averaged over 20 points per game in the next nine games and the Pistons won eight of those nine. They were 22-12 overall after that nice little run and it was really hard to not get caught up in the moment and believe Dumars had sprinkled his magic dust on the team again. (Remember, the Pistons had been to six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and we hadn't tasted anything less than the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2001.)

Then reality settled in.

The Pistons had three losing streaks of five or more games the rest of that 2008-2009 season, finished 39-43, and got trounced in four games against the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs, the last time the Pistons were in the playoffs.

I rehash all of that sadness to say what you already know: it was also the last season in which the Pistons beat the Bulls. Four sad seasons later, Rodney Stuckey's the only player remaining from that team.

Stuckey had only 14 points on Sunday to help the Pistons beat the Bulls, but was one of six Pistons in double figures. Brandon Knight led the way with 20 points and Greg Monroe had 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

I didn't think any Pistons were better than Jonas Jerebko, though, who had 17 points on 7 for 8 shooting and nine rebounds in 27 minutes. He has now scored at least 15 points in four of his last six games.

Overall, the Pistons shot 53-percent and held the Bulls to 39 second half points. They outrebounded them, out passed them, and flat out, outplayed them.

Streak. Focker. Out.

GAME BULLETS

* "Trust me, we talked about it. We hadn't beaten them since [19-year-old center] Andre [Drummond] was born. But it wasn't like we were that far away. Obviously, they're ahead of us in the big picture, but we've played these guys tough. It wasn't like we had to reinvent the formula. We just needed a little bit more for a little bit longer."
-- Pistons coach Lawrence Frank on snapping the long losing streak to Chicago

* Box Score

* Blog-a-Bull

* Roll Call