 | 2004 NBA FINALS 6 June: Lakers 75-87 Detroit 8 June: Lakers 99-91 Detroit 10 June: Detroit 88-68 Lakers 13 June: Detroit v Lakers 15 June: Detroit v Lakers 17 June: Lakers v Detroit* 20 June: Lakers v Detroit* * if necessary |
Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups scored 50 points between them as Detroit beat the LA Lakers 88-68 to regain control of the NBA Finals series. Hamilton weighed in with 31 points and Billups 19 to propel the Pistons into a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Detroit put their overtime loss in game two behind them with a superb defensive performance on home territory.
"We never get down," said Billups. "The last game was a heartbreaker and people thought we would come out flat but we came out hungry."
The Pistons seized control in the opening minutes and outscored the Lakers 39-32 in the first half.
They then went on a run in the third quarter to take a 63-51 lead into the fourth.
The Lakers' star men Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were restricted to just 11 and 14 points respectively.
"I'm shocked," said Pistons coach Larry Brown. "We played so good defensively. "I don't think we can defend better than we did tonight. We held them to 68 points."
Victory in game four in Detroit on Sunday would take the Pistons to within one win of the title.
"We are making it tough on ourselves," said O'Neal. "We are playing right into their hands and turning the ball over."
MMIX
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