WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards returned home after a disastrous road trip seeking solutions and a big win. Now the Pistons head back to Detroit on a similar mission after being on the wrong end of a blowout.

Nene scored a season-high 20 points, John Wall had 15 points and 12 assists, and the Washington Wizards snapped a five-game losing streak with a 124-81 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

After losing three straight games during a Western Conference swing, the Wizards (31-35) led the Pistons by as many as 44 points. They responded with a dominant first quarter, outscoring the Detroit 34-15. The rampage continued throughout as did improved defense after allowing 115 points per game on the road trip.

"Just everybody coming in focused, locked in," Wall said of the turnaround. "(Coach Randy Wittman) simplified what he wanted us to do in the pick-and-roll (defense)."

Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy simplified his postgame remarks to the bare facts during a 35-second press conference.

"Look, they dominated," said the fuming coach. "I'm not going to do a lot of analysis on this. There is none. They dominated us on both ends."

The victory pulled Washington within 2 1/2 games of Detroit -- two back in the loss column -- for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The victory improved Washington to 3-0 against Detroit, clinching the season series.

"We won the season series so this is really a double game," Wittman said.

Every active player scored for the Wizards, with all five starters reaching double figures, including Marcin Gortat with 16 points. Markieff Morris scored 14 points, and Bradley Beal had 12 points in 25 minutes after missing the previous three games with a sprained pelvis.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 18 points for Detroit (34-33). Darrun Hilliard, the only other Piston to score in double figures, added 10 as Detroit misfired from all angles. The Pistons shot 40.5 percent from field, 3-for-23 on 3-pointers and 14-for-22 from the free throw line.

Detroit also committed 21 turnovers, which Washington turned into 28 points.

"When we (play) the way we did tonight, helping on the weak side, chipping, taking away passing and driving lanes, it makes our defense a lot tougher," Wall said.

After losing in overtime against the Trail Blazer in Portland on March 8, Washington was drubbed 114-93 in a lethargic performance Friday at Utah. The following night, the Wizards were outscored 41-17 in the fourth quarter of a 116-100 loss at Denver.

Washington did the outscoring Monday. Playing with force against the Pistons from the start, the Wizards never trailed and led 30-7 with 2:51 left in the first quarter.

Wall had 15 points in the first half as Washington entered halftime up 60-39. The Wizards increased the margin after each quarter.

The attacking Wizards scored 62 points in the paint and sank 56.7 percent of their shots from the floor. Ramon Sessions scored 14 points and Otto Porter had 11.

The Pistons finished 2-2 on their four-game road trip. They are far from finished with figuring out what transpired in the blowout.

"I don't think anybody in the world really knows who the Pistons are right now," said Reggie Jackson, who scored eight points, 11 below his average. "We gotta figure out who we are. We really gotta figure out what we want to do and where we want to be."

NOTES Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy called two timeouts within a minute during Washington's first-quarter surge. ... Wizards G Alan Anderson was active after sitting out Saturday's loss at Denver, the second game of a back-to-back. However, he played only four minutes after tweaking his ankle and groin in the first half. ... The Pistons open a franchise-high nine-game homestand Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. The stretch runs through April 1 and includes two games against Atlanta. ... Detroit fell at Washington for the fourth consecutive visit. ... Washington hosts the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. Bulls F Pau Gasol (knee swelling) is not expected to play in the third and final game of the season series. The teams split two games in Chicago.