NEW ORLEANS -- In the world according to Pinocchio, New Orleans Pelicans point guard Tim Frazier towers on his tiptoes at 6 feet 1, give or take your favorite version of fake news.

Suffice it to say that when Frazier came around the blindside of 6-11 Andre Drummond to swipe the ball following a rebound late in the third quarter Wednesday night, he probably looked to the Detroit Pistons center like a gnat out of hell.

Frazier's steal and Drummond's subsequent attempted punch, Flagrant 2 foul and ejection represented a critical moment in the Pelicans' 109-86 victory over the Pistons at the Smoothie King Center, which snapped New Orleans' three-game losing streak.

The Pelicans (24-37), playing without center DeMarcus Cousins because of a one-game suspension for excessive technical fouls this season, led Detroit 73-67 at the time. Frazier's hustle play, however, fueled a furious rally that extended the Pelicans' lead to 25 points in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Davis led New Orleans with a game-high 33 points, including 24 in the first half, and guard Jrue Holiday broke out of a three-game scoring funk with 22 points. But after the game, all the Pelicans were talking about Frazier.

And it had nothing to do with Howard Cosell's famous boxing line: "Down goes Frazier!" -- because that's exactly what Frazier didn't do.

"I'm not going to back down from anybody," Frazier said. "That's how I was raised, and I had to fight through a lot of stuff to get where I am and be successful. I'll let the refs handle it."

"We lost the game," said Drummond, who had 13 points and was dominating the boards with 17 rebounds when he was ejected with 1:24 left in the third quarter. "One thing led to another. I was in the locker room, and they won the game."

The game was amazing in several statistical categories. The Pistons (29-32), looking tired after defeating Portland 120-113 in overtime on Tuesday night, missed 14 of 17 free throws. Drummond was 1 of 10 from the line all by himself.

The .176 free throw percentage was the worst in NBA history for a team shooting a minimum of 10 attempts. The Pistons also went 3 of 23 from 3-point range, which dumbfounded coach Stan Van Gundy.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, made 22 of 23 free throws.

"It's hard to win games when you go 3 for 23 from 3 and 3 for 17 from the free throw line," Van Gundy said. "Especially when you look at the first half and we're down three (53-50) and we're 0 for 8 from the free throw line. I don't even know what to say. It's pretty hard to play like that and it's just incredibly disheartening when you make a good offensive play and you get fouled and you get zero. It's the same as a turnover."

In helping the Pelicans break a three-game losing streak, Davis became the eighth-youngest player in NBA history to score 7,000 career points. Davis is 23 years and 355 days old, moving past Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Davis said he was focused on being aggressive offensively, especially on Cousins' absence, and tried to move quickly against the Pistons' expected double-teams.

"I'm aggressive with or without him," Davis said. "Of course it was different not having him out there, but guys stepped up and played big for us. We just have to find a way to do with him or without him. We just need everybody to play the same way they played tonight."

Forward Jon Leuer led the Pistons with 22 points.

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said he was happy with his team's defensive effort and with Frazier's fearless confrontation with Drummond.

"I think it was aggressive but I don't think he got under his skin," Gentry said. "It was just a good aggressive play by Tim, that's all."

As for Detroit's 3-of-17 shooting from the foul line, Gentry said: "I'm in charge of the free throw defense."

NOTES: Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry spoke with PG Jrue Holiday and suggested he get back to looking for his shot and stop trying to defer to PF Anthony Davis and C DeMarcus Cousins. Over the previous three games, Holiday was 11 for 38 from the field, including 2 of 14 from long range, with 16 turnovers and 10 points per game. "I told him he was trying too hard to be a point guard and we just needed for him to be Jrue Holiday," Gentry said. "The Jrue Holiday point guard is good enough -- it's more than good enough for us." Holiday went 10 of 18 and scored 22 points against the Pistons on Wednesday night. ... Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy believes the Davis-Cousins tandem will pay off in the long term for the Pelicans. "It's two really talented guys," Van Gundy said. "Talent usually is a good thing and is a good way to start. It'll take them some time, but two talented guys like that should be able to figure it out." ... Pistons C Andre Drummond has gone back to walking to halfcourt to try to settle his nerves and relax before taking free throws. After going 1 of 10 Wednesday night, he said it's a work in progress. "I've had a tough streak the past week or so," he said. "It's just something I need to get back to and refocus."