AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Jeff Teague lost the ball and figured he was in trouble, with Detroits Brandon Jennings breezing in for what looked like an uncontested layup. "I knew Coach was going to show it on film, so I just had to make sure I get back and make an attempt," Teague said. "I was able to meet him at the rim." Teague caught up to Jennings, leaping from behind and blocking the layup at the last instant. Teague then threw an alley-oop to Al Horford at the other end for good measure, helping the Atlanta Hawks hold on for a 96-89 victory over the Pistons on Friday night. Teague scored 14 of his 18 points in the third quarter. Josh Smith, who signed a $54 million, four-year deal with Detroit in the off-season after nine years with the Hawks, was left out of the starting lineup for the first time this season. He went scoreless in 20 minutes. Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said Smith didnt start because he missed practice Thursday. Detroit had games Tuesday and Wednesday, and Cheeks said he didnt inform players of Thursdays practice until the flight back after Wednesday nights loss at Atlanta. He said Smith wasnt on the plane. "Theres no NBA rule against having a practice after a back-to-back, but if we had won in Atlanta, I probably wouldnt have called one," Cheeks said. "I didnt tell them until late. We were already on the team plane." Smith didnt talk to reporters after Fridays game. The Pistons led 87-86 after a 6-0 run in the fourth, but DeMarre Carroll scored inside for Atlanta while being knocked to the floor. He missed the ensuing free throw, but the Hawks came up with the rebound and Horford eventually added a free throw to make it 89-87. Carroll added a 3-pointer to push the lead to five. Detroit trailed 92-89 when Jennings appeared to have a clean breakaway after stealing the ball from Teague. The 6-foot-2 Teague recovered and blocked Jennings shot. Jennings had 14 assists, but he went 4 for 16 from the field and struggled to defend Teague in the third quarter. "Its no battle or nothing like that," Teague said. "I was trying to make a conscious effort of getting to the rim." Smith shot 0 for 7 from the field in his first scoreless game since December 2004, when he was a rookie. "As far as I can remember, Josh has always started the game. I know for him, hes dealing, his dad is not doing so well, and I think that could have been on his mind a little bit as well," Horford said. "Josh is a great player. Hes going to get it going. Hes going to be fine." Detroit was up 14-12 when Smith came in with 5:47 to go in the first quarter. Atlanta went on a 15-4 run and led by as many as 11 in the half. The Pistons caught a break in the final seconds of the second quarter when Kyle Singler was fouled shooting a 3-pointer. He made the first two free throws, and when he missed the third, Greg Monroe rebounded and made a layup. The four-point possession meant Detroit trailed only 49-44 at halftime. The Pistons took a 52-51 lead early in the third, but Teague started a 9-2 Atlanta run with a three-point play. Horford scored 17 points for the Hawks. Andre Drummond had 15 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit, and Singler added 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting. "I felt like I had a great game, but Im only worried about the team," Singler said. "Im very disappointed that we lost this one. We thought we would play Atlanta tough, and we did, but there were too many plays that we didnt make, and they got all the 50-50 balls." NOTES: Detroit was again without Chauncey Billups (knee tendinitis) and Will Bynum (left hamstring). ... Atlantas Kyle Korver made four 3-pointers, extending his streak to 86 games with at least one. Dana Barros holds the NBA record of 89. Allen Iverson Jersey . -- Dane Fox scored his 61st and 62nd goals of the season and Brendan Gaunce had a goal and three assists as the Erie Otters downed the Kitchener Rangers 7-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk Pistons Jersey .Bekker was added Wednesday in exchange for allocation money after two seasons with Toronto. The native of Canada had 29 MLS appearances, including 16 starts. Hes also played in 13 games for the Canadian national team. https://www.pistonsrookiesshop.com/Jamee...Edition-Jersey/. Basketball fans around the globe will be watching as Kobe Bryant makes his season debut - 240 days after tearing his left Achilles - against Toronto, a team he has used as his own personal punching bag. Tony Snell Pistons Jersey . -- Caris LeVert had 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, and No. Ben Wallace Pistons Jersey . But this time, the Gunners weathered the storm. Arsene Wengers team was on the ropes in the early stages of a lively FA Cup tie, until Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a goal against the run of the play.NEW YORK -- The NFL will discuss expanded playoffs at the owners meetings next month in Atlanta. Commissioner Roger Goodell told a gathering of Associated Press Sports Editors on Thursday that a vote is uncertain on the proposal to add two teams to the post-season. Should the owners vote on the increase in May, Goodell said the 14-team playoffs could be implemented for the upcoming season, or for 2015. If no vote is taken, then 2015 would be the target for expanded playoffs, with a vote possible in October or next March. The league also would need to consult with the players union on the matter, but it seems clear more playoff teams are on the way. "Were being very deliberate about it," Goodell said. "We want to make sure we do it in the right way." The NFL also will experiment with snapping the ball from the 15-yard line on extra points in the first two weeks of the preseason to make them more challenging. A kick from that distance would wind up being about 33 yards. Previously, the plan had been to experiment with moving kicks back to the 20. But in conversations with the leagues competition committee and various teams, officiating director Dean Blandino said it became apparent a 33-yard extra point was a wiser choice for the experiment. Blandino added that veteran referees Scott Green and Ron Winter have retired, and will be replaced by Craig Wrolstad and Ronald Torbert. Wrolstad had been a field judge and Torbert was a side judge; both have college refereeing experience. Two female officials will be working minicamps and preseason games: line judge Sarah Thomas and head linesman Maia Chaka. Both work in Conference USA. They are part of the leagues officiating development program. The NFL also hired the sons of two current officials: field judge Brad Freeman, the son of back judge Steve Freeman, a former player with Buffalo; and field judge Shawn Hochuli, son of referee Ed Hochuli. Goodell and various other NFL executives were asked about the repercussions from thee bullying incidents with the Miami Dolphins involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito.dddddddddddd "You never want to see any story that reflects on that we dont have the right workplace environment," Goodell said. "Weve redoubled our efforts to make sure we provide the right environment ... for everybody in the NFL." Blandino added that in an effort to have on-field action in which the players are respectful, there will be a heavy emphasis on reducing taunting. From 2012 to 2013, the number of taunting incidents increased from nine to 34. "Its important having the right culture in place," added Robert Gulliver, the NFLs chief diversity officer. "A culture of respect for the game, for each other, for coaches, officials and fans. Well engage in positive training with the 32 clubs." Asked about the first openly gay player, Michael Sam of Missouri, soon entering the league, NFL football operations chief Troy Vincent said the league was looking forward to welcoming Sam into its ranks. Vincent, a star defensive back for 15 seasons and former president of the NFL Players Association, said he played with "six openly gay players inside the locker room" who did not publicly announce their sexual orientation. "It worked, we won many football games," Vincent said. "They were players, and we didnt see them any differently." NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said the league remains optimistic that a U.S. district judge will approve the $765 million concussion settlement with former players. The judge, Anita Brody, has expressed concerns the fund may not be large enough to cover up to 20,000 retired players for 65 years. "Were confident we will get it done," Pash said. "I think were getting close to the point where well have a package thats satisfactory. Our overriding goal is that both sides get this structure in place so we can begin providing compensation to people who need it." ' ' '