But the result was the same as the Bulls took over in the third quarter and only got stronger in defeating the Pistons 99-91.

Detroit (34-36) has lost five of its past six games.

To make matters worse, Chicago (33-38) closed to within a game of Detroit for the No. 7 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"Right now, we're on the brink of being out (of the playoffs)," Pistons forward Antonio McDyess said. "Not just making eighth seed or seventh seed. We got (12) games left to play, and everyone ... all these teams we got coming up are going to be tough."

Tuesday's game was another in which the Pistons were short-handed: Richard Hamilton (left groin), Rasheed Wallace (left calf) and Allen Iverson (sore back) remain out indefinitely.

Their replacements did a solid job in the first half, which ended with the score tied at 43.

But it only took the Bulls 83 seconds at the start of the third quarter to take control with a 5-0 spurt.

Five minutes later, that five-point lead was doubled following a 3-point play by Joakim Noah that gave the Bulls a 63-53 lead with 5:32 to play in the third.

"Most of the night, we were pretty good," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "We got to the point where we couldn't score, and they got out in transition, a few turnovers and got out and scored, and the game kind of got away from us at that time."

The Bulls also were short-handed, with Luol Deng (stress fracture, right shin) and Derrick Rose (right wrist contusion) both out. Their replacements, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich, played pivotal roles for the Bulls.

Salmons had 16 points and six rebounds, and Hinrich led all scorers with 24 points and eight assists.

Detroit guard Will Bynum continues to make the most of his opportunity to play in place of injured teammates.

The Chicago native had 20 points and nine assists.

"It was good to play in front of my family, but I'd rather score two points and win than how I played today and lost," Bynum said.

Tayshaun Prince had seven first-quarter points and finished with 20 for the Pistons.

With each loss, the Pistons sink in the playoff race.

"We still control where we're going to finish, as far as anybody that's behind us," Curry said.