Thursday, June 10, 2004
Hamilton, Billups pull Pistons toward another finals win
06-10) 20:20 PDT AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) --
Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups -- and a whole lot of tough defense -- had the Detroit Pistons on the verge of another surprising victory Thursday night.
They took a 63-51 lead into the fourth quarter of Game 3 in the NBA Finals.
Hamilton, the Pistons' leading playoff scorer, had 21 points, and Billups added 17 as Detroit jumped to a 16-point lead in the third.
Billups was the Pistons' leading scorer in both regular-season meetings with Los Angeles and both of the first two finals games. After scoring eight points in the first half, he scored nine in the first 31/2 minutes of the third quarter, keying Detroit's 15-8 run.
After a first half dominated by defense, Detroit led 39-32 -- but Billups and Kobe Bryant got going in the third quarter. The Lakers rallied late in the quarter with a lineup consisting of Bryant and four reserves.
Both teams flirted with NBA-record scoring lows for a finals first half before a flurry of baskets shortly before the break. The Pistons shook off their Game 2 collapse with a stiff defensive performance back home at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Hamilton scored 12 points in the first half for the Pistons, who were relaxed and comfortable in front of a raucous home crowd.
Bryant, the Lakers' Game 2 hero, scored just one point in the first half, missing all four of his shots. His first field goal was a long jumper with 7:35 left in the third quarter, and he finished the third quarter with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting.
Shaquille O'Neal had 12 points and six rebounds in the first half, but picked up his fourth personal foul midway through the third. He had just one basket in the quarter.
But O'Neal's layup with 57 seconds left in the second quarter prevented the teams from matching the NBA Finals record for fewest combined points in the first half, set last season. Derek Fisher's basket with 24 seconds left prevented the Lakers from matching the record-low 30 points scored previously by three teams.
Karl Malone overcame his serious knee injury to start for the Lakers, though the 19-year veteran wore a brace on his right knee. Malone has disdained any sort of brace during his career, but he believes he's playing on a torn ligament.
06-10) 20:20 PDT AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) --
Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups -- and a whole lot of tough defense -- had the Detroit Pistons on the verge of another surprising victory Thursday night.
They took a 63-51 lead into the fourth quarter of Game 3 in the NBA Finals.
Hamilton, the Pistons' leading playoff scorer, had 21 points, and Billups added 17 as Detroit jumped to a 16-point lead in the third.
Billups was the Pistons' leading scorer in both regular-season meetings with Los Angeles and both of the first two finals games. After scoring eight points in the first half, he scored nine in the first 31/2 minutes of the third quarter, keying Detroit's 15-8 run.
After a first half dominated by defense, Detroit led 39-32 -- but Billups and Kobe Bryant got going in the third quarter. The Lakers rallied late in the quarter with a lineup consisting of Bryant and four reserves.
Both teams flirted with NBA-record scoring lows for a finals first half before a flurry of baskets shortly before the break. The Pistons shook off their Game 2 collapse with a stiff defensive performance back home at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Hamilton scored 12 points in the first half for the Pistons, who were relaxed and comfortable in front of a raucous home crowd.
Bryant, the Lakers' Game 2 hero, scored just one point in the first half, missing all four of his shots. His first field goal was a long jumper with 7:35 left in the third quarter, and he finished the third quarter with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting.
Shaquille O'Neal had 12 points and six rebounds in the first half, but picked up his fourth personal foul midway through the third. He had just one basket in the quarter.
But O'Neal's layup with 57 seconds left in the second quarter prevented the teams from matching the NBA Finals record for fewest combined points in the first half, set last season. Derek Fisher's basket with 24 seconds left prevented the Lakers from matching the record-low 30 points scored previously by three teams.
Karl Malone overcame his serious knee injury to start for the Lakers, though the 19-year veteran wore a brace on his right knee. Malone has disdained any sort of brace during his career, but he believes he's playing on a torn ligament.
