NBA PLAYOFFS : With Little Scoring, Pistons Come Up Big

The Detroit Pistons forced a fifth game in their first-round series with New York as Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer made free throws down the stretch to preserve an 86-82 victory over the Knicks on Friday night.

Game 5 will be played Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

“We’ve had a tough time scoring all year,” Detroit Coach Chuck Daly said. “But these guys are tough and they played tough all year. We did what we had to do, but it’s that kind of series.”

The Knicks, who trailed by 16 points in the third quarter, cut the Pistons’ lead to 82-81 on a layup by Charles Oakley with 48 seconds remaining.

Dumars, who led Detroit with 23 points, made two free throws with 41 seconds left for an 84-81 lead.

Dumars fouled Greg Anthony with 2.5 seconds remaining. Anthony made his first free throw and, after a timeout, missed the second on purpose. But John Starks fouled Laimbeer during the scramble for the rebound and Laimbeer, who finished with only four points, made both free throws for the final margin.

Patrick Ewing and Xavier McDaniel each scored 18 points for the Knicks, who shot only 39%. The Pistons shot 42%.

Detroit outscored New York, 30-16, in the second quarter when the Knicks made five of 19 shots. At one point, the Pistons had fallen behind, 31-21, but Isiah Thomas and Dumars ignited a 28-4 run that gave Detroit a 49-35 lead.

The Pistons kept the hot hand early in the third quarter as Thomas scored five points to help Detroit take a 60-44 lead.

“Everybody wrote us off here and wrote us off there,” Daly said. “But we’ve always kept coming back. And they have always done that since I’ve been here.”