The Cavaliers are down to one game in what has been a lousy season, but they have plenty of fight left. Just ask Charlie Villanueva.

The Cavaliers are down to one game in what has been a lousy season, but they have plenty of fight left. Just ask Charlie Villanueva.

The Cavs beat the Detroit Pistons on Monday 110-101 in a game that was fairly boring until Villanueva decided to punch Ryan Hollins after the two got tangled up on a screen.

With 5:47 left, the two exchanged shoves to the face and ended up in a flurry of headlocks and pulled jerseys. Villanueva and Hollins were assessed fouls and ejected.

Villanueva was the first to be escorted to the locker room, but he tried breaking free of the Pistons coaches for another go at Hollins. Only one problem — he started running to the wrong corner of the floor.

Once Villanueva was removed from the court, Hollins was taken to the Cavs' locker room while the announcer reminded fans to remain in their seats. Memories of the brawl between the Pacers and Pistons remain fresh around these parts.

Villanueva still wasn't done. Minutes later, he was stopped by security trying to get into the Cavs' locker room while shouting threats.

The Cavs led 96-85 when the two were ejected. The Pistons pulled within six late, but couldn't get any closer.

It was a wild ending to a fairly subdued night that may have assured the Cavs won't finish with the league's worst record.

No team in NBA history has fallen from the best record to the worst in consecutive seasons. The Cavs are dangerously close to becoming the first, but Monday's victory pushed them ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the race to avoid last place.

The Timberwolves played later Monday night at Phoenix, but they entered the night losers of 13 in a row and showing little interest in playing the rest of the season.

That's not true of the Cavs, who continue to fight — literally — until the bitter end.

Monday's game was a homecoming for Manny Harris, who started in place of Anthony Parker.

A year ago at this time, Harris was a college senior attending a Cavs-Pistons game as a fan cheering on his idol, LeBron James.

Monday night at The Palace, Harris was part of the Cavs' new-look starting lineup that was a product of both necessity and curiousity.

Parker's strained back forced Harris into the starting lineup, while Semih Erden started at center so Cavs coach Byron Scott could get a look at him with the starters. It was the Cavs' 24th different starting lineup, the third-most in the league this season.

Harris, who grew up in Detroit and attended Michigan, learned early Monday he would start in place of Parker, who is still bothered by a bad back. Harris acknowledged before the game he was a little nervous, but did his best to treat it as just another game, even though at least 20 family and friends were in attendance. And that's just counting the tickets Harris received. He wasn't sure how many other friends, former teachers and family would make the short drive north from Detroit.

Harris had four points, J.J. Hickson had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Alonzo Gee had 16 points. Both Ramon Sessions and Daniel Gibson had 17 points off the bench, including a big five-point play late in the third quarter by Gibson.

He made a 3-pointer while getting fouled by Richard Hamilton. Then Hamilton was assessed a technical for arguing and Gibson hit both free throws to give the Cavs a 79-72 lead with 2:51 left.

The Cavs outscored the Pistons 16-5 over the final 4:30 of the third quarter to take control of the game.

Rodney Stuckey had 29 points and 14 assists and Chris Wilcox had 16 points for the Pistons. Villanueva had eight points and Hollins had 12 points before they were ejected.