 | 2004 NBA FINALS 6 June: Lakers 75-87 Detroit 8 June: Lakers 99-91 Detroit 10 June: Detroit 88-68 Lakers 13 June: Detroit 88-80 Lakers 15 June: Detroit 100-87 Lakers |
The Detroit Pistons won their first NBA title for 14 years after producing a dominant display over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
A 100-87 victory gave them a 4-1 win in the finals leaving the last two games redundant.
It was their first win in America's showcase basketball competition since they beat the Portland Trail Blazers by the same 4-1 margin in 1990.
Detroit guard Chauncey Billups was named the most valuable player in the finals.
The Lakers had been widely expected to win the 2004 finals but the Pistons showed that sometimes team-work can overcome individual brilliance.
Detroit led by just one point after the first quarter, but scored 30 in the second period to gain a 10-point lead at half-time.
Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince were all scoring heavily for the Pistons who piled on the pressure in the third quarter to move 82-59 in front, and well out of reach.
The Lakers knew they would have a tough night when Karl Malone was forced to miss Tuesday night's contest with torn knee ligaments.
His replacement Slava Medvedenko made four baskets and had an assist in the first six minutes as the Lakers took a 14-7 lead.
But the Pistons took the lead for good late in the first quarter and never looked back.
Lakers stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant scored more than half of the Lakers' points between them but as a team they were out-performed.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
The Pistons were a good side all season but the acquisition of Rasheed Wallace really gave them the step up they needed
