Pistons Deny Miller, Pacers a Grand Finale

The Detroit Pistons didn’t feel like celebrating after eliminating the Indiana Pacers and sending Reggie Miller into retirement.

It wouldn’t have seemed right, especially after the 39-year-old Miller made a teary-eyed retreat to the bench in the final seconds Thursday night.

“This is a sad day, really,” Detroit’s Chauncey Billups said after an 88-79 victory sent the Pistons back to the Eastern Conference finals and ensured that Miller’s career would end without a championship.

Richard Hamilton scored 28 points and Billups added 23 as Detroit won the best-of-seven series, 4-2. The Pistons will open the conference finals on Monday at Miami.

It was the final game for Miller, the NBA’s 12th-leading career scorer (25,279 points) who is retiring after 18 years, all with the Pacers. He ended a shooting slump and led Indiana with 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and his final basket was a three-point shot with under two minutes left to pull Indiana to 82-79.

Hamilton then made a basket and Billups added two free throws with 26 seconds left before Miller missed a three-pointer and left the game to a prolonged, standing ovation -- which the Pistons joined in -- as the crowd chanted “Reg-gie, Reg-gie” with 16 seconds to go.

At the end of the game, the chant changed to “One more year.”

As Miller left the court, he embraced players from both teams.

“I told him thanks. Everybody in the NBA should be saying thank you,” Hamilton said.

“Words can never express how I feel to the city and fans,” Miller said. “The city has really embraced me and understood we all had one common goal. Unfortunately, I never delivered on [a title], but it was an unbelievable ride.”