Billups Gives Pistons Lift

When it was time for Detroit to get back into the game or allow Philadelphia to even their playoff series, Chauncey Billups took over.

By the time he finished scoring 10 straight points for the Pistons in the final 3:05 of regulation, the 76ers’ lead was gone, and so might have been their shot at making this a long series.

Billups scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Rasheed Wallace made two three-pointers in overtime and Detroit overcame an inspired effort by Allen Iverson to go up 3-1 in its first-round series with a 97-92 win over the 76ers on Sunday.

“It seemed like the tide was turning, nothing was really going good for us,” Billups said. “I wasn’t really making too many shots. I wanted to try. If I’m going to go down, I’m going to go down fighting.

“Shots just started going for me and we started to run a couple of plays for me.”

The Pistons headed home with a chance to wrap up the series on Tuesday.

“The guys competed their guts out. They just got beat by the best team in the world,” Philadelphia Coach Jim O’Brien said.

After Billups carried the Pistons in a frantic finish to the fourth quarter, Wallace made a decisive three-pointer with 1:29 left in overtime. Richard Hamilton hit a runner on the baseline with 14.5 seconds left, then sealed the win with two free throws.

Wallace’s three-pointer came right after Chris Webber made a three-pointer and Iverson made two free throws, tying the game 90-90.

Tayshaun Prince, who added 17 points, went down at the end of the third quarter with a mildly sprained right ankle, but returned to the game. He was listed as day-to-day.

Iverson again did his best to carry the 76ers, scoring 36 points on 14-for-24 shooting with eight assists.

“I could feel bad, and I do, but I feel real good about our effort,” Iverson said. “I feel real good about my teammates.”

Billups answered Iverson’s final three-pointer in regulation with a three from the corner that gave the Pistons an 83-82 lead with 22 seconds left. Billups fouled Willie Green with 3.1 seconds left, but Green missed the first and made the second.