NBA PLAYOFFS : Pistons’ Thomas Gets Victory Lap : Eastern Conference: His three consecutive long-range shots power Detroit past Boston in overtime, 117-113.

As the clock wound down in overtime, Isiah Thomas, having already sprung over two rows of press tables, found himself in the laps of fans. It beat the alternative, even if the celebrating was behind him on the court. He could be going East today.

“I didn’t want to lose,” he said. “I didn’t want to go to Boston. I know the people are great, I know Boston’s great. But, dammit, I didn’t want to see the Garden again this year.”

So Thomas won’t, as the result of much of his own work. Limited to nine points on four-of-10 shooting in regulation, he scored eight points the next five minutes to lift Detroit past Boston, 117-113, Friday night in overtime of Game 6 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons will go to Chicago to open the Eastern Conference finals Sunday afternoon.

This wasn’t exactly like when Thomas’ performance against Portland in Game 1 of last season’s NBA finals here. But there was the same sense of control in overtime. He didn’t start, coming off the bench in favor of Vinnie Johnson for a second consecutive game while returning from a foot injury, but he finished.

He finished the Celtics, and good. Offense, defense and poise. Somebody had to do it.

“In regulation, I was just trying to maintain what we had,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t trying to do anything offensively. I was just trying to distribute the ball. I wasn’t looking to shoot. When overtime came, I kind of got into it. Everyone was kind of waiting to see what happens.

“I just didn’t want to lose. I sensed everybody wanted me to do something. I didn’t know what I was going to do. The plays just presented themselves.”

As did the “miracle shot,” as Coach Chuck Daly called it. The Pistons, who had already lost a 17-point lead from the third quarter and were trying to come back from an early four-point deficit in overtime, were within 109-107 when Thomas had the ball behind the three-point line on the right side. With the shot clock at one second remaining, he launched. The ball banked in.

“I was so far behind the three-point line, I looked at the shot clock and said to myself, ‘I’ll just get it up on the glass. Maybe we’ll get an offensive rebound and start the play all over again.’ ”

Then there was his 19-foot jumper from the left side that followed. And the 25-footer from the right side soon after, Thomas’ third consecutive long-distance connection in overtime. And the one free throw with 14 seconds left that gave the Pistons the final four-point margin.

“When I see Isiah go off like that, I can’t help but say, ‘How did he do that?’ ” teammate Dennis Rodman said.

Dee Brown, giving a 21-point, nine-of-13 shooting effort in place of struggling Brian Shaw, was stopped by Thomas when it mattered most. Brown made the basket that gave the Celtics, who played without injured center Robert Parish, their final lead, 111-110, but will be most remembered for being called for traveling with 44 seconds to play.

Brown’s mistake was picking up his dribble 30 feet from the basket. Thomas pounced, and Brown was panicked into the turnover. Rookie vs. veteran played out accordingly.

“I thought the most important thing he (Thomas) did the last four minutes was his defense on Dee Brown,” Daly said after the Pistons came back from a 2-1 series deficit to win three in a row. “They (the Celtics) weren’t allowed to look us over and get good shots.”

Said Brown, obviously a quick study in this league: “That’s Isiah. Pressure time, a big-time game.”

A 19-4 charge from the end of the third quarter to the start of the fourth revived the Celtics from an 80-63 deficit and got Boston within two. The two-time defending world champions were back pedaling on their own court.

Boston, led by Kevin McHale’s 34 points, finally caught them at 100-99 on two Larry Bird free throws with 2:13 remaining, one of the few bright spots on a night Bird went four of 14 from the field. Back and forth the rest of the way, the Celtics lost another basket when McHale was called for offensive interference with 59 seconds remaining, a decision TV replays indicated was wrong.

“One call does not a game make,” McHale said. “But that was a back breaker.”

The Celtics recovered well enough to tie the score at 105 at the end of regulation and sprint to the four-point lead early in overtime. But that was it for them.

“That’s what I learned about Isiah tonight,” Brown said. “The best players always come to the top.”