AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The New Jersey Nets hope to bounce back from a disappointing defeat and advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight year when they play their first Game Seven in team history at The Palace on Thursday.
The Nets beat the Pistons here in Game Five, 127-120 in three overtimes, but failed to close out the series at home, dropping Game Six on Sunday, 81-75.
Detroit's Richard Hamilton scored 24 points, including a difficult baseline jumper after getting bumped by Jason Kidd with 15.5 seconds left that put the Pistons ahead, 77-73.
Richard Jefferson scored 23 points for the Nets, who jumped out to a 13-2 lead, fell behind by as many as 17 points in the third quarter and climbed within two points on several occasions before coming up short.
The Nets swept the Pistons in four games in the 2003 Eastern Conference finals before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in six games.
The Pistons have won their last two Game Sevens, in the first round against Orlando last year and in the conference finals vs. Chicago in 1990.
Detroit lost its first three Game Sevens, but they were all on the road.
MEANINGFUL MATCHUP: The Backcourt. The Nets won three straight before the Sunday contest after putting Jason Kidd on Richard Hamilton. Though Hamilton has had success shooting over Kidd and has averaged over 20 points in all five playoff series he's played in his career, will he be able to lead his team as Kidd has done in so many critical games? Kidd, playing hurt, has had a terrible shooting series against Chauncey Billups, making just 31.3 percent of his shots, including 5-of-31 from 3-point range. Billups, who was dominated by Kidd in the playoffs last season, has frustrated Kidd on defense but has been erratic on offense. He scored 31 points in the Game Five triple-overtime loss but scored just eight in the previous two losses. The "other" guard in this series, Kerry Kittles could be the key for the Nets. He's scored 51 points on 21-of-37 shooting in the three wins and 32 points on 10-of-34 shooting in the three losses.
WHO'S HOT:
Pistons: Hamilton has been the only Piston to reach double figures in all six games, and he's the only player on either team to score in double figures in all 10 games played between the clubs this season. He added a game-high 11 assists in Game Five. C Ben Wallace has two 20-plus rebound efforts and has reached double-digits in each game of this series and 36-of-38 games in his postseason career.
Nets: F Richard Jefferson has been a tough guard for Detroit F Tayshaun Prince, averaging 24.4 points since an eight-point effort in Game One. He's been to the line 63 times in the series, 23 more times than any other player. F Kenyon Martin has scored in double figures in all 10 Nets playoff games and is averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds over that span and shooting 54 percent.
WHO'S NOT:
Pistons: Prince, the star of the first-round win against Milwaukee, has scored in double figures just twice this series. He played only 18 minutes Sunday due to foul problems.
Nets: Centers Jason Collins and Aaron Williams have combined for 33 points on 11-for-37 shooting, 41 rebounds and 48 fouls in the series. F Rodney Rogers has shot just 2-for-9 in the last two games and 32 percent for the entire playoffs.
Streaks: The Pistons have allowed opponents fewer than 100 points in regulation in 41 straight games. The Nets have outscored their opponents in fast-break points in each of their 10 games in the postseason.
Series history: The clubs have split 10 games this season. In each contest, the winning club shot better from the field and outrebounded the loser.
Injuries:
Pistons: None
Nets: None
