Pistons Block Pacer Victory

Tay- shaun Prince was several steps behind Reggie Miller as the play of the game unfolded. The Indiana Pacers had just come up with a steal, and Miller was about to drop in a tying breakaway layup.

One stunning leap later, everything changed.

Prince sprinted in from midcourt and made a perfectly timed block to put a finishing flourish on another dominant defensive display, and the Detroit Pistons defeated the Indiana Pacers, 72-67, on Monday night to even the Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece.

“In that situation, a two-point game, I’ve just got to make a play on the ball,” Prince said. “Before I got there I knew it was going to be a tough play, but once I put my hand on the ball it was a good block.

“He slowed up just a little bit at the last second and gave me time to get there.”

The block was the 19th of the game for the Pistons, one shy of the NBA playoff record set by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1981.

And in a series that doesn’t figure to feature much offense, it was fitting that Game 2’s defining moment came on a play that kept the ball from going through the basket.

Miller made four consecutive free throws to cut a six-point deficit to 69-67, and it appeared he was about to tie it after Jermaine O’Neal blocked a dunk attempt by Rasheed Wallace and Jamaal Tinsley stole the ball from Chauncey Billups to start a breakaway.

“I saw him in my rearview mirror,” Miller said. “In hindsight, I should have dunked it, but I thought I had a few steps on him.”

Prince ended up several rows deep in the stands after his block, and it took him a minute to get up. After he did, Detroit’s Richard Hamilton made two free throws for a four-point lead with 14.6 seconds remaining that all but clinched it.

Hamilton scored 13 of the Pistons’ final 15 points and finished with 23.

“Tay gets one of those about once every four games,” Hamilton said. “I said to myself: ‘Reggie better dunk it, because if he doesn’t dunk it, Tay is going to get it.’ ”

The loss was the Pacers’ first at home since March 19, ending a streak of 14 consecutive victories at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Miller scored 21 points to lead Indiana, which shot 27.5% and was held to three field goals in the fourth quarter.

Detroit had four baskets in the fourth but scored nine points at the foul line. Wallace was four for 19 from the field and scored 10 points but blocked five shots and had eight rebounds.

Wallace, who had guaranteed a victory, yelled “I told you so” at the Indiana fans as he walked off.