Six is enough for the Pistons

Richard Hamilton scored 23 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Chicago Bulls, 95-85, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night, clinching a series that turned tense after Detroit won the first three games.

No NBA team has lost a best-of-seven-games series after taking a 3-0 lead, and the Pistons rejected the Bulls’ shot at history. Now, Detroit can focus on its fifth straight conference final.

Down, 48-43, at halftime, the Pistons outscored the Bulls, 31-21, in the third quarter to take a 74-69 lead, and Chicago could not sustain any momentum in the fourth.

Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Detroit, and Tayshaun Prince added 17 points. Chauncey Billups shot only three for 12 from the field but scored 11 of his 21 points in the third quarter.

A jump shot by Wallace, who had received a technical foul over a minute earlier, and a hook shot by Prince made the score 85-73 with 2:20 left, and Detroit hung on from there.

Chicago’s P.J. Brown attempted three shots in the second half after scoring all of his 20 points in the first two quarters, matching his playoff career-high. Luol Deng added 17 points.