Detroit Victory Takes It to Game 7

Once again pushed to the edge of elimination, the Detroit Pistons stepped up like champions.

Summoning their postseason experience and making all the big plays down the stretch, the Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 84-82, on Friday night to even their Eastern Conference series at 3-3 and force a decisive Game 7.

“We know what it takes,” Detroit’s Ben Wallace said. “We’ve been together a while. We don’t panic.”

The Pistons’ biggest win of 2006 wasn’t secure until the final tick of the clock, when a free throw intentionally missed by LeBron James was nearly tipped into the basket by Detroit’s Chauncey Billups.

“I got my hand on it, and I almost made the basket for them,” Billups said. “When it was in the air, I was like, ‘Wow, not like this.’ ”

Game 7 will take place on Sunday at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., where until Game 5 of this series, the Pistons had looked invincible.

Until the closing minutes in Game 6, it appeared Detroit might be headed home for good.

Rasheed Wallace, whose Game 4 prediction of a victory and quick end to the series backfired, scored 24 points. Richard Hamilton scored 17 and Billups 15 for the Pistons, who grabbed several offensive rebounds in the final minutes.

James finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. But the Cleveland star had seven turnovers and he and his teammates weren’t able to beat the Pistons to loose balls in the final three minutes.

Trailing, 77-76, after two free throws by James, Wallace flung a shot in the lane and was fouled. His three-point play gave the Pistons a lead they would keep the rest of the way.

After James was stripped on a spin in the lane, Billups made a jump shot from the top of the key as the 24-second shot clock expired, giving Detroit an 81-77 lead with 2:21 left.

James, driving to the basket every chance he could, made four consecutive free throws to pull the Cavaliers within two points, 83-81, with 1:04 left. Wallace missed a jumper, but the ball was tipped to Hamilton, allowing the Pistons to kill time off the clock.

Wallace missed again, but Hamilton ran down the long rebound in the corner before the Cavaliers fouled Wallace.

The Detroit forward missed both free throws, but Cleveland’s Flip Murray couldn’t grab the rebound and Billups was put on the line.

He made one of two with 10.1 seconds left.

Cleveland Coach Mike Brown wanted his team to call a timeout, but before it could James was fouled with 1.4 seconds left. James, who was 15 of 18 from the free-throw line, made the first. He pushed the second one left on purpose.