Google Alert - NBA

Google Alert for: NBA

NBA playoffs: Pistons 96, Spurs 79
Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription) - MN,USA
AUBURN HILLS, MICH. -- Their championship belts nearly down around their knees after two deflating defeats to start the NBA Finals, the Detroit Pistons hitched ...

Woj: NBA needs Phil in Tinseltown
NorthJersey.com - Hackensack,NJ,USA
... calves on "Entourage.". As long as the Knicks are irrelevant in New York, the NBA still needs its soap opera with the Lakers. Off the ...

Riley no fan of NBA camps in Europe
San Jose Mercury News - San Jose,CA,USA
... (KRT) - When it comes to the NBA's plan to have selected teams train overseas before the 2006-07 season, the Miami Heat's approach is count us out. ...

NBA Finals are whole new world
USA Today - USA
By David DuPree, USA TODAY. AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The NBA Finals are fast becoming a "who's who" of international basketball. Seven ...

Stern warning for NBA
Mobile Register - Mobile,AL,USA
This week should be a time for the NBA to puff out its collective chest and celebrate. A new superstar, San Antonio's Manu Ginobili ...

---

 This as it happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

Remove this alert.
Create another alert.
Manage your alerts.

Pistons 96, Spurs 79

 

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- The NBA Finals aren't looking so lopsided anymore, thanks to a burst of life from the defending champion Detroit Pistons that took them three games to summon.

Playing with a level of energy that was nowhere to be found in the first two games, Ben Wallace and Richard Hamilton led the way as the Pistons thoroughly outplayed the San Antonio Spurs in the second half and won 96-79 Tuesday night in Game 3.

Television ratings have been down and interest has been low, but that might start to change now that the Pistons have made things much more competitive and a little more compelling.

No longer is there a chance for a sweep, and never again will anyone question whether the Pistons can even play with the likes of Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Co.

Ginobili got hurt in the game's first 30 seconds was reduced to a non-factor for the first time in the series, and Duncan could not match the energy or enthusiasm generated by Wallace, the Pistons' Defensive Player of the year. Wallace's dunk with 4:27 left gave Detroit its largest lead, 88-73, and the Pistons held on easily from there.

Now, the Pistons will look to even the series at 2-2 in Game 4 on Thursday night and to ensure that the series will be heading back to Texas.

Hamilton scored 24 points, including 10 in the third quarter when Detroit took the lead for good, and Chauncey Billups added 20 . But although the Pistons got most of their points from their backcourt tandem once again, they were anything but a two-man team.

Game 3 At The Palace

Guarding Ginobili and scoring 7.0 ppg is not Prince's idea of fun.

Dial H-E-L-P

Can the Pistons take Game 3 (ABC, 9 ET) in Detroit tonight? Marc Stein has some solutions, starting with a phone call. Daily Dime

Phil @ Kobe Together Again

Phil Jackson Returning as Lakers Head Coach

By Mike Bresnahan and Mike Terry 

Phil Jackson, who guided the Lakers to four Finals appearances in five seasons but was cast adrift last June, was reintroduced as coach of the team this afternoon during a news conference at Staples Center.

 

Rules of the Waiting Game

By Mike Bresnahan

Laker assistant general manager says Jackson wants to make sure he's ready for the extended coaching commitment the team is seeking.