Phoenix Suns beat Detroit Pistons, 88-86 -- Nov.19, 2014

Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith, center, is fouled by Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) during the second half of Wednesday's game at The Palace. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

AUBURN HILLS -- The competitive losses are the ones that hurt the Detroit Pistons' hearts, even if one particular Piston lacks heart altogether, according to a dismissive Phoenix Suns player.

The Pistons' 88-86 loss to the Suns before a paltry crowd of 10,686 Wednesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills ran contrary to so many others they have suffered this season.

They competed in the fourth quarter, a late 9-0 rally gave them a lead in the final minute, and they had two shots to regain the lead in the final six seconds.

But when Brandon Jennings' layup attempt was blocked and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's long 3-point attempt caromed off, the Pistons were done -- and the lament began.

"We were just one play away," Greg Monroe said. "That might actually be a little bit harder than if we lose by 10 or 15. If you lose at the end of the game, and one more play could have been made, it makes it even tougher, because you can pick out any play you need to almost."

The Suns' Markieff Morris chose to focus on the Pistons' last shot.

"Caldwell-Pope got it and you know he doesn't have any heart, so we knew he was going to miss," Morris said.

Caldwell-Pope and Morris engaged a second-quarter shoving match that earned both of them technical fouls, which may have been the genesis of Morris' snark. Morris also got the late block on Jennings to help preserve the win.

Regardless, circle Dec. 12, when the teams meet again in Phoenix.

Stan Van Gundy was heartened by the Pistons' comeback from an 85-77 deficit to take a one-point lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Caldwell-Pope, Jennings and Caldwell-Pope again.

That vanished when Eric Bledsoe got matched up against Monroe after a switch on a pick-and-roll play and drove easily for a game-winning layup with 28.7 seconds left.

"I wouldn't use the words that I feel sorry for them, because it's not that type of game," Van Gundy said, "but I have empathy for those guys who finished and how hard they played and everything else, the effort they gave to try to get that done."

Even young Spencer Dinwiddie, the rookie guard who made just his second appearance, understood the grip that losing has taken on the 3-9 Pistons.

"I think, for the most part, we understand we're right there, so I wouldn't say we're down or splintered or anything," Dinwiddie said. "I'd say frustrated. It's like with anything when you're on the cusp of something. Everybody has it in their life. If you're saving money to buy a house and you're right there, but just not quite there, you get a little frustrated. And that's kind of where we are right now."

Some of the Pistons' problems were familiar.

They outscored the Suns 46-42 in the paint, as one might expect, but required 21 more field-goal attempts to get there -- 23 of 53 for Detroit, 21 of 32 for Phoenix.

The Pistons rank last in the NBA in 2-point percentage and their inability to finish shots near the rim has become a puzzling phenomenon.

"Shots like that, you just need to focus, play through contact, whatever it is," said Monroe, who led the Pistons with 18 points and 12 rebounds. "You've just got to score."

The Pistons went with a hybrid group in the fourth quarter, when eight players were used, none of them Josh Smith.

Smith was removed from the game with 4:04 left in the third quarter and had a spirited verbal exchange with Van Gundy en route to the bench. He did not return to the game.

Van Gundy said he simply used players he thought gave him the best chance to win, and Smith agreed.

Smith acknowledged his is struggling "to find where I belong in the offensive flow of what he's teaching us."

"I've got to figure out ways to get myself involved, whether it's transition or crashing the boards," Smith said. "I've been in this game a long time, so all I've got to do is go back to the film and watch it, and see what I need to do to make myself the most effective as possible for this team."

Smith acknowledged that the Pistons are "a little frustrated."

"But at the same time, we're motivated that we can get the job done," he said. "We just have to stay with what we've been doing but just tweak little things and try to keep moving in the right direction.

"We need to start getting wins."

Phoenix Suns beat Detroit Pistons, 88-86 -- Nov.19, 2014 16 Gallery: Phoenix Suns beat Detroit Pistons, 88-86 -- Nov.19, 2014

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