Pistons Keep Hopes Alive

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Nothing deterred the Detroit Pistons -- not their three consecutive losses, not their three-overtime heartbreak Friday and not their early double-digit deficit Sunday -- from forcing a Game 7 against the New Jersey Nets.

Richard Hamilton pump-faked Jason Kidd off his feet and made a clutch 18-foot shot with 15.5 seconds remaining, capping a 24-point performance that kept the Pistons’ season alive.

Hamilton’s shot, Ben Wallace’s rebounding and the Pistons refusal to quit added up to an 81-75 victory, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.

“We knew what kind of game this was going to be, what kind of environment this was going to be. We knew it was tonight or it’s over,” Piston guard Chauncey Billups said.

After two blowout victories and one close win for each team, the series will be decided on the Pistons’ home court. Game 7 is Thursday night, the winner advancing to the Eastern Conference finals beginning Saturday.

“We let an opportunity go, but it’s not the end of the series,” Kidd said.

Hamilton was the most productive member of Detroit’s offense for the second time in three games, the Pistons’ choosing to attack whichever player Kidd was defending. Ever since Net Coach Lawrence Frank switched Kerry Kittles onto Billups in Game 3, Kidd has been the primary defender on Hamilton -- a matchup that favors Detroit.

“I know he expends so much energy on the offensive end -- he’s the catalyst for that team, he’s got to score, pass and rebound, so I just tried to make him work on the defensive end,” Hamilton said. “I think I’m in the best shape in the league running-wise -- I can run forever.”

Hamilton’s final shot capped an 11-for-24 shooting performance. He also had five rebounds and four assists.

The Nets got 23 points from Richard Jefferson and 19 from Kenyon Martin, but Kidd scored only 11 and made several bad plays in the final three minutes.

New Jersey had three chances to tie it when trailing, 72-70, but Kidd threw his second consecutive bad pass, the Nets committed a 24-second violation and Martin didn’t draw iron on an inside shot with 1:45 remaining.