PISTONS 100, LAKERS 87: Detroit cruises in bringing the title back to the East.
By Associated Press
Published June 16, 2004
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Motown is Titletown. The descendants of the Bad Boys made sure of it with an upset that was really no contest at all.
Without a superstar and without being given much of a chance, the Pistons trounced the Lakers 100-87 Tuesday night in Game 5 of the NBA Finals for their first title in 14 years.
With MVP Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace leading the way, the Pistons were at their best in the clincher, defeating Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers in every facet of the game. It was methodical and shocking the way they pulled ahead, then away for one of the biggest surprises in NBA history.
"I never stopped dreamin', man," Billups said.
Wallace's 18-point, 22-rebound effort helped Detroit become the first Eastern Conference team to win the title since the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in 1998.
Equally important were 14 points from Billups, the best guard on the floor throughout the series, 21 from Richard Hamilton and 17 from Tayshaun Prince.
"We just took it to 'em," Prince said. "We knew we could play with anybody in this league and I think we showed it."
Billups, who hasn't been an All-Star during his seven-year career, averaged 21 points and 5.2 assists in the series and is the lowest-profile player to be MVP of the final since Boston's Cedric Maxwell in 1981.
Game 5 was so lopsided Lakers owner Jerry Buss, carrying his jacket and accompanied by an entourage, headed for the exit before the third quarter was over. By the time the last timeout rolled around, fans were being urged to keep their celebrations under control.
As the final buzzer sounded and confetti began dropping, Pistons coach Larry Brown stoically walked to midcourt and received an affectionate handshake and warm smile from Lakers coach Phil Jackson and a hug from Bryant.
After the game, Jackson said the chances of him returning to coach the Lakers are "pretty slim."
Many fans at The Palace stood through the final minutes, savoring every moment they had waited for since the Bad Boys of 1989 and '90 won back-to-back titles.
The game steadily got away from the Lakers from the second quarter on, unraveling completely over the latter part of the third.
On one especially telling sequence, Bryant missed a 3-pointer, got the rebound but missed on a drive, and Wallace soared high above everyone to snare his 14th rebound. Bryant then was called for a blocking foul as Billups brought the ball upcourt, and an "M-V-P" chant greeted the point guard as he went to the line and made it 80-59.
For good measure, Bryant missed a layup just moments later, and the quarter ended with Detroit ahead by 23.
Lindsey Hunter began the fourth by stealing the ball from Bryant, who managed only a grimace and did not give chase as Hunter took it in for a breakaway. It was a Pistons party the rest of the way.
Before the series, the Pistons promised they were prepared to shock the world. What they lacked in star power they made up for in cohesiveness and determination - two factors Detroit displayed in abundance throughout the finals while executing their coach's mantra to "play the right way."
For Billups, a castoff in five NBA cities before he landed in Detroit, that meant taking advantage of his mismatch against Gary Payton and making the key baskets that demoralized the Lakers through all five games.
For Rasheed Wallace, it meant keeping relatively quiet when the officials whistled him for fouls and his coach sat him on the bench for extended periods because of foul trouble.
For Prince, it meant keeping one of his long arms in Bryant's face whenever possible and justifying the faith team architect Joe Dumars showed in him a year ago when he passed on Carmelo Anthony with the second pick in the draft.
For Ben Wallace, it was about pounding the boards relentlessly and showing a level of effort O'Neal could only envy. For Hamilton, it was proving how big of a mistake Jordan made two years ago when he dealt him from Washington in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse.
And collectively for the Pistons, it was about not being afraid as previous Eastern Conference opponents had been when confronted with the task of taking on the Lakers.
