DENVER -- Aaron Brooks got word just before game time that he would start in place of an ailing Ty Lawson, and then took advantage of his opportunity. Brooks had 27 points and a career-high 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Detroit Pistons 118-109 on Wednesday night for their fourth win in five games. "Aaron did a great job of picking those guys apart," teammate Darrell Arthur said. "He did whatever he wanted to. He got to the rim. He got guys open for easy looks. He did a great job managing the floor today." Brooks said he found out Lawson, who was suffering from a sinus infection, wouldnt be able to play when Lawson walked off the court and told him after struggling in pregame warm-ups. "I thought he was joking at first," Brooks said. "I was like, Quit playing around. Get back out there. But thats what you have to do. We all stepped up." Randy Foye added 22 points, Kenneth Faried had 14 and J.J. Hickson had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets. Wilson Chandler also sat out after receiving an injection to treat a hip injury. Greg Monroe scored 22 points to lead the Pistons, who lost their 11th in a row on the road. Rodney Stuckey added 18 and Kyle Singler and Charlie Villanueva each had 13. "Aaron Brooks was able to get in the lane and Randy Foye just caught fire from 3," Monroe said. "Anytime you have a backcourt that ones getting to the rim and the other is knocking down 3s, its going to be tough on any night." Trailing by seven at the half, the Nuggets rallied to take an 85-84 lead into the fourth quarter. After Singlers 3-pointer put the Pistons in front 82-75, the Nuggets outscored Detroit 10-2 over the final 3:20 of the third quarter to regain the lead. Brooks started the spurt with a 3-pointer and a driving reverse layup and Foye closed it by hitting a 3 and finishing a fast-break with a layup after stealing an inbounds pass. Denver used another 10-2 surge to stretch its lead to 104-91 midway through the final period. Detroit pulled to 113-109 with 54.2 seconds remaining as Singler and Villanueva hit 3s around a layup by Hickson. But Hickson had another layup and Anthony Randolph converted a three-point play to give the Nuggets a nine-point cushion with 31.7 seconds remaining. Stuckey scored 14 of his points in the first half, helping the Pistons take a 61-54 lead. Detroit led by as many as 11 points early on. NOTES: Pistons C Andre Drummond sat the game out after injuring his neck on Saturday against Indiana. ... Pistons G Chauncey Billups, a former Nugget and native of Denver who has been sidelined by a knee injury, returned a warm ovation from the crowd with a couple of waves of his hand. ... The Pistons lost Josh Smith to ejection midway through the third quarter after he picked up a pair of technical fouls in quick succession. ... Brooks previous career high for assists was 13 against Phoenix on Nov. 17, 2009. Jorge Soler Jersey . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . - Frankie (The Answer) Edgar dominated B. http://www.cheaproyalsjerseys.com/ . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. The Flames look to avoid a fifth defeat in six home games by winning a sixth straight meeting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. Paulo Orlando Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. George Brett Jersey .com) - Stanley Johnson had 18 points and No. MONTREAL -- Thousands of hockey fans jammed into downtown Montreal on Wednesday night after the Canadiens clinched their playoff series against the arch-enemy Boston Bruins to move closer to their first Stanley Cup in more than 20 years. Droves emerged from downtown bars, while many of the 21,000 people who packed the Bell Centre to watch the Habs 3-1 victory over the Bruins on giant screens also hit the streets. As the game played in Boston came to an end, even Montreal police officers stationed on Ste-Catherine Street pumped their fists in celebratory manner. Outside the Bell Centre after the game, someone put a Bruins jersey on a hockey stick and set it on fire as people began stomping on it. Riot police intervened immediately and hauled it away while a raucous crowd continued cheering and screaming, "We Want the Cup." Some fans set off fireworks in what initially looked like peaceful celebrations. Police reported fewer than 10 arrests, mostly for mischief, less than an hour after the game had ended. Many fans stood on other peoples shoulders and chanted the names of their hockey heroes as police guarded the stores on Ste-Catherine. The victory sent Montreal -- the only Canadian team to make the NHL playoffs this year -- into the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers in a series that begins Saturday afternoon. The Canadiens are looking for their first Stanley Cup since 1993. Prime Minister Stephen Harper hailed Montreals victory with a tweet: "Great to see a Canadian team finally take out the Bruins in a game 7."t; Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau tweeted, "Bravo les boys!" The Bell Centre was a sea of red, white and blue during the decisive match as fans took advantage of $10 tickets to watch the game 500 kilometres away.dddddddddddd Some of the proceeds were destined for a Canadiens charity fund for children. There were reports of people selling tickets for $50 in the hours leading up to the game. Mario Trudelle attended the game with his wife, their two children and three other kids. Everyone in the gang was wearing a Canadiens top except one young Bruins fan. "We accept everybody," said Trudelle, who predicted a 4-2 Montreal victory. Team spokesman Donald Beauchamp said the 21,000-odd tickets sold out in two hours. Police were hoping the event wouldnt turn into a repeat of 2010 after fans at the Bell Centre watched the Canadiens eliminate the Penguins in a game played in Pittsburgh. Mayhem ensued in downtown Montreal, with store windows smashed and rioters clashing with police. Police have beefed up their playoff presence in recent years and always have a strong visibility downtown before and after games, particularly for series-deciding matchups. A team spokeswoman confirmed that alcohol would be sold at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night Beauchamp said authorities have done a good job "as far as prevention with what happens post-Canadiens games." "What happened in the past was not necessarily people who were at the venue," he said. "It was people who were not necessarily in the building." ' ' '