AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Aron Baynes doesn't get too many opportunities to start. His coach doesn't want the rest of the NBA to figure out he's on par with most of the starting centers in the league.

Making just his second start since joining the Detroit Pistons prior to last season, Baynes scored 20 points in place of injured Andre Drummond on Monday. That performance allowed the Pistons to remain the league's only undefeated team at home with a 104-88 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at The Palace.

Drummond, the NBA's second-leading rebounder, missed the game due to a sprained right ankle. Baynes, who has started just 23 of 231 games in his career, also grabbed eight rebounds as the Pistons (6-5) improved to 5-0 at home. The backup center wound up one point shy of tying his career high.

"I put it back on everyone else. Everything they got me was in great position," Baynes said. "All the way through the team, they got me great looks and I just had to finish. On a couple of them, I didn't, so I still have some work to do."

Baynes can opt out of the final year of his contract after this season and coach Stan Van Gundy, who doubles as the president of basketball operations, is well aware that Baynes will have plenty of pursuers if he enters the market.

"He's a starting center in the NBA. He's just playing behind an All-Star," Van Gundy said. "You look around at all the starting centers and Aron's a starting-caliber center in the league, so it's not surprising he played as well as he did."

With Baynes as the anchor of the defense most of the way, the Pistons held the Thunder to 37.5 percent shooting. The Pistons have limited every opponent under 90 points at home this season.

"He brought a lot of energy tonight," Detroit forward Tobias Harris said. "He got us going and was a big reason why we won this game. Efforts like that are huge, especially from somebody who plays behind Andre and comes in and gives us that type of lift."

Harris delivered a team-high 22 points and six rebounds for the Pistons, while guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 17 points.

Oklahoma City (6-5) lost its fourth straight despite getting 33 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists from Russell Westbrook. Jerami Grant added 11 points off the bench.

"We've just got to find a way to stay together," Thunder forward Andre Roberson said. "We have to figure out what's going on and see what we can do better with the lack of jump shots going in. We can't let that affect our defense and I feel like that's what's going on."

The Pistons shot 46.7 percent, scored 60 points in the paint and committed only 10 turnovers.

"Someone asked me before the game about Detroit doing such a great job and having success in their wins attacking the paint and I think that's true for any team," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said. "I thought we allowed way too many points in the paint."

Detroit was playing its first game at The Palace since a 1-3 West Coast trip, while the Thunder had a quick turnaround after falling at home to the Orlando Magic 119-117 on Sunday.

Baynes' three-point play early in the second half gave Detroit a 64-49 lead. Marcus Morris nudged the advantage to 17 at 68-51 with a put-back.

A Baynes layup made it 76-57 before the Thunder finally showed signs of life. They went on an 11-2 run, including 3-pointers from Grant and Victor Oladipo, to pull within 78-68 as the quarter ended.

Oklahoma City went scoreless the first 2:25 of the fourth, and the Pistons retained their double-digit lead.

NOTES: Pistons C Andre Drummond missed a game because of injury for the first time since March 19, 2014, when he sat out against the Nuggets with a strained neck. An MRI on Drummond's right ankle revealed no structural damage and coach Stan Van Gundy believes Drummond will return quickly. "We should have him back for the weekend if not Wednesday (vs. the New York Knicks)," he said. ... The Pistons lost five of their previous six home games against the Thunder. ... Oklahoma City PG Russell Westbrook posted his 40th career triple-double on Sunday, second among active players behind only Cleveland F LeBron James (43). ... The Thunder topped 100 points in each of the previous three games, yet lost them all. "My bigger concern is on the defensive end of the floor and what kind of consistency can build (there)," coach Billy Donovan said.