Box Score

 

BOSTON (83)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
E Williams          38  5-11   4-5  4-12   1   5   14
G Long              23   0-3   0-0   2-7   3   2    0
T Battie            32  6-12   4-6   3-6   2   4   16
P Pierce            45 10-31 10-12  2-11   6   2   30
J Bremer            35   4-8   1-2   0-1   1   3   11
W Mccarty           32   3-4   1-1   0-8   0   2    9
K Brown              3   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
V Baker             16   0-3   1-2   3-6   0   2    1
S Williams          16   0-0   2-2   0-1   1   5    2
A Walker           DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT KNEE                            
T Delk             DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE                            
B Sundov           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 28-72 23-30 14-52  14  26   83
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.389, FT-.767. 3-Point Goals:
4-14, .286 (P Pierce 0-6, J Bremer 2-5, W 
Mccarty 2-3). Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked 
Shots:4 (T Battie 2, V Baker, J Bremer). 
Turnovers:16 (W Mccarty 3, P Pierce 3, G Long
2, E Williams 2, T Battie 2, V Baker 2, S 
Williams, K Brown). Steals: 5 (W Mccarty 2, E
Williams, S Williams, V Baker).


DETROIT (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
M Curry             24   3-5   0-0   1-1   3   4    7
B Wallace           40   4-4   0-4  1-13   1   3    8
C Robinson          38  5-12   0-0   1-3   6   3   11
R Hamilton          33  5-17   4-6   0-6   3   2   14
C Billups           31  4-14   5-9   2-4   5   2   16
C Williamson        25   4-6   4-4   1-5   1   3   12
C Atkins            17   2-5   0-0   0-0   2   2    5
M Okur              18   3-5   2-4   0-3   0   3   11
J Barry             14   1-5   0-1   0-0   4   1    2
H Davis            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
P Sanchez          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
T Prince           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 31-73 15-28  6-35  25  23   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.425, FT-.536. 3-Point Goals:
9-22, .409 (M Curry 1-2, C Robinson 1-2, R 
Hamilton 0-1, C Billups 3-9, C Atkins 1-2, M 
Okur 3-4, J Barry 0-2). Team Rebounds: 15. 
Blocked Shots:9 (B Wallace 7, C Williamson 
2). Turnovers:10 (C Williamson 2, J Barry 2, 
B Wallace 2, C Robinson, C Billups, C Atkins,
M Okur). Steals: 7 (C Williamson 2, C Atkins 
2, M Okur 2, B Wallace).

-------------------------------------------
BOSTON               22  16  19  26   -  83
DETROIT              25  19  23  19   -  86
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Boston - 2 (Defensive Three,
8:56 1st; Defensive Three, 8:41 2nd). Detroit
- 1 (Defensive Three, 5:02 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,371. T: 2:26. 
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Monty McCutchen, Ron
Garretson.

Extended Box

 

BOSTON (83) AT DETROIT (86)

BOSTON

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
E WILLIAMS        F    38    5-11     4-5      4   8  12    1   5   1   2   14
G LONG            F    23    0-3      0-0      2   5   7    3   2   0   2    0
T BATTIE          C    32    6-12     4-6      3   3   6    2   4   0   2   16
P PIERCE          G    45   10-31    10-12     2   9  11    6   2   0   3   30
J BREMER          G    35    4-8      1-2      0   1   1    1   3   0   0   11
W MCCARTY              32    3-4      1-1      0   8   8    0   2   2   3    9
K BROWN                 3    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   1    0
V BAKER                16    0-3      1-2      3   3   6    0   2   1   2    1
S WILLIAMS             16    0-0      2-2      0   1   1    1   5   1   1    2
A WALKER              DNP  - SPRAINED RIGHT KNEE                                      
T DELK                DNP  - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE                                      
B SUNDOV              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   28-72    23-30    14  38  52   14  26   5  16   83
                            (.389)  (.767)  TEAM REBS:  4 TOTAL TO: 16 (11 PTS)    

DETROIT

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
M CURRY           F    24    3-5      0-0      1   0   1    3   4   0   0    7
B WALLACE         F    40    4-4      0-4      1  12  13    1   3   1   2    8
C ROBINSON        C    38    5-12     0-0      1   2   3    6   3   0   1   11
R HAMILTON        G    33    5-17     4-6      0   6   6    3   2   0   0   14
C BILLUPS         G    31    4-14     5-9      2   2   4    5   2   0   1   16
C WILLIAMSON           25    4-6      4-4      1   4   5    1   3   2   2   12
C ATKINS               17    2-5      0-0      0   0   0    2   2   2   1    5
M OKUR                 18    3-5      2-4      0   3   3    0   3   2   1   11
J BARRY                14    1-5      0-1      0   0   0    4   1   0   2    2
H DAVIS               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
P SANCHEZ             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
T PRINCE              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   31-73    15-28     6  29  35   25  23   7  10   86
                            (.425)  (.536)  TEAM REBS: 15 TOTAL TO: 10 (9 PTS)     
  
   BOSTON             22   16   19   26   -   83
   DETROIT            25   19   23   19   -   86
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: BOSTON - T BATTIE 2, V BAKER, J BREMER.  DETROIT - B WALLACE 7,
C WILLIAMSON 2.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: BOSTON 4-14 (.286), P PIERCE 0-6, J BREMER 2-5,
W MCCARTY 2-3. DETROIT 9-22 (.409), M CURRY 1-2, C ROBINSON 1-2, R HAMILTON 0-
1, C BILLUPS 3-9, C ATKINS 1-2, M OKUR 3-4, J BARRY 0-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: BOSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE 2. DETROIT - DEFENSIVE 
THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, MONTY MCCUTCHEN, RON GARRETSON.
A - 17,371. T - 2:26.

Game Story

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- When you play defense like 
the Detroit Pistons, you don't have to hit buckets down the
stretch.

Corliss Williamson scored eight of his 12 points in the final
5:20, including the go-ahead free throws with 34 seconds left,
as the Pistons edged the Boston Celtics, 86-83, despite not
making a basket over the final 3 1/2 minutes.

Again playing without injured all-Star Antoine Walker, the
Celtics erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit and took
their first lead since the first quarter at 83-82 on Paul
Pierce's two free throws with 41 seconds left.

But the Pistons regained the upper hand seven seconds later when
a driving Williamson was fouled and sank both shots.

After Pierce missed a finger roll at the other end, 45 percent
free throw shooter Ben Wallace missed a pair for Detroit. The
ensuing scramble for the rebound resulted in a jump ball, which
was controlled by the Pistons.

Chauncey Billups was fouled with 7.7 seconds left and hit both
free throws.  Boston had a chance to tie, but Walter McCarty
stepped out of bounds while launching an off-balance 3-pointer
that was not close.

"It was just a matter of execution and making the plays down the
stretch," said Pierce, who was 10-of-31 from the field.  "When
we didn't get the rebound and they went back to the free throw
line, it cost us."

Billups led the Pistons with just 16 points, while Pierce poured
in 30 and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Celtics.

"That team fought hard tonight, without one of their best
players," said Billups, who was just 5-of-9 from the foul line
as Detroit went an awful 15-of-28 from the stripe.  "We came out
and scratched, clawed and found a way to win this game."

Richard Hamilton scored 14 points while Clifford Robinson and
rookie Mehmet Okur each finished with 11 for Detroit, which shot
42.5 percent (31-of-73).

Detroit, which has alternated wins and losses its past nine
games, held Boston to 39 percent (28-of-72).  The Pistons
improved to 11-1 when holding opponents below 40 percent.

"They really have a lot of weapons out there and they are strong
defensively," Pierce said.  "They are going to be one of the
teams to beat in the playoffs."

Battie scored 16 points and Eric Williams had 14 and 12 boards
as the Celtics enjoyed a 52-35 rebounding advantage.

The Pistons' fourth-quarter cushion grew as large as 66-57 on
Okur's basket 45 seconds into the period, but Boston clawed its
way back.

"It was a good game, I thought both teams played really hard,"
Detroit coach Rick Carlisle said.  "They made a wild run at us
there with Pierce getting hot."

After Okur's 3-pointer with 8:36 to go gave Detroit a 74-67
lead, Pierce hit a jumper, rookie J.R. Bremer drained a
3-pointer and Battie knocked down a jumper with 5:41 left to
forge a 74-74 tie.

That's when Williamson came alive, sinking a hook shot and a
jumper for a 78-74 lead with 4:39 remaining.

Pierce hit another basket, but Williamson answered with two free
throws and Hamilton sank Detroit's final bucket with 3:27 left
for an 82-76 bulge.

Another jumper by Pierce and a 3-pointer by McCarty shaved the
deficit to 82-81, then Pierce gave Boston its short-lived lead
with two free throws.

"Paul plays that way and that's why he's an All-Star," said
Celtics coach Jim O'Brien.  "We go to him a lot down the stretch
and he tends to try and carry us.  Tonight he just couldn't
carry us all the way to victory."

Pierce, who did not make a basket while scoring one point in the
first quarter, is scoring 33 points per game in four contests
since Walker went down with a sprained right knee.

Boston led, 22-21, late in the first quarter but fell behind
quickly in the second.  Detroit took its biggest lead at 38-26
on a 3-pointer by Okur with 6:18 to go.

The game was the first of the season between the Eastern
Conference rivals, who met in last year's conference semifinals.
The clubs meet Friday in Boston.