AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- After a successful road stint, the Detroit Pistons look to close out the Milwaukee Bucks when they play Game Five at The Palace on Thursday.
The Pistons took command of the series with a 109-92 victory against the Bucks Monday night, their second road win in as many games. Richard Hamilton scored 11 points in the first quarter and 13 in the fourth and led Detroit with 27.
Rasheed Wallace added 20 points and Chauncey Billups had 19 and nine assists for Detroit, which shot 57 percent from the floor and 95 percent (20-of-21) from the line.
Damon Jones had 17 points and 10 assists and Joe Smith added 17 and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which was outscored 57-43 in the second half.
Detroit regained home-court advantage with a come-from-behind 95-85 win on Saturday behind 21 points from Billups and 21 rebounds from Ben Wallace.
MEANINGFUL MATCHUP: Hamilton vs. Michael Redd: If the Bucks are going to have any chance to extend the series, Redd is going to have to come up huge since he does not have the complementary scorers that Hamilton does. So far that has not happened. Redd shot 5-for-19 for 12 points with four turnovers on Monday. After averaging 24.5 points per game and shooting 46 percent against Detroit in the regular season, the third team All-NBA selection has averaged just 17 points, shot 38 percent and has turned the ball over 16 times in the series. Hamilton is scoring 20.8 points on 48 percent shooting.
WHO'S HOT:
Pistons: The whole starting unit is playing well but F Tayshaun Prince has quietly averaged 15.8 points on 54.5 percent shooting (24-of-44), 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He's also defended Desmond Mason well ... Billups is 23-of-25 from the line, is averaging 7.5 assists and has made several shots to beat the shot clock.
Bucks: Jones was 6-of-6 from the floor and set playoff career highs in points and assists on Monday. The veteran, who is playing for his eighth team in six NBA seasons, is averaging 11.3 points and 7.8 assists. ... Smith scored a career playoff-high 17 points and added his third double-digit rebound effort in the series in Game Four.
WHO'S NOT
Pistons: All the starters are playing well but C Ben Wallace was 1-for-7 from the floor Monday and had just nine rebounds - six below his series average.
Bucks: Mason shot 8-of-27 in the two losses at the Bradley Center and is shooting 32.8 percent for the series. ... F Keith Van Horn is shooting just 25.8 percent.
STREAKS: The Pistons were 0-5 in previous Game Fours and are 4-0 all time when up 3-1 in a series. ... Rasheed Wallace, with nine rebounds, had his streak of three consecutive double-doubles snapped. ... The road team has won the last three games.
SEASON SERIES: The Pistons have won six of eight meetings between the clubs this season and are 9-2 all-time in the playoffs.
INJURIES: Pistons: None. Bucks: G T.J. Ford (bruised spinal cord) is out for the season.
