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Published: May 23, 2008
BOSTON - The Detroit Pistons proved that a visiting team can win in Boston. Now they can reach the NBA Finals without having to do it again.
Richard Hamilton bounced back from a poor series opener with 25 points, and the Pistons beat the Celtics 103-97 Thursday night, tying the Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece and seizing the homecourt advantage that has meant everything to the Celtics.
Chauncey Billups had 19 points and seven assists for the Pistons, who host Game 3 on Saturday night. Boston had won 15 straight at home and was 9-0 in the playoffs, but the only number that matters now is 0-6 - the Celtics' playoff road record.
Paul Pierce scored 26 points for the Celtics and Ray Allen broke out of a shooting slump with 25, his best performance in three months. But he was limited to 29 minutes by foul trouble, picking up his fifth foul with 3:09 left in the third quarter after his flurry had given Boston the lead.
DETROIT (103) - Prince 5-15 4-4 14, McDyess 7-12 1-1 15, Wallace 4-7 3-4 13, Billups 5-10 7-8 19, Hamilton 7-16 10-12 25, Stuckey 5-8 3-3 13, Maxiell 0-0 0-0 0, Ratliff 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter 2-3 0-0 4, Afflalo 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-71 28-32 103.
BOSTON (97) - Pierce 9-16 6-6 26, Garnett 11-19 2-2 24, Perkins 1-1 2-2 4, Rondo 2-9 6-6 10, R.Allen 9-16 5-5 25, House 0-3 0-0 0, Posey 1-5 0-0 3, Brown 2-2 0-0 4, T.Allen 0-1 0-2 0, Powe 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 35-72 22-25 97.
| Detroit | 18 | 32 | 28 | 25 | - | 103 |
| Boston | 20 | 23 | 26 | 28 | - | 97 |
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