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Pistons cut Nets 78-56; Prince scores 15 The Detroit Pistons shut down New Jersey so thoroughly that the Nets nearly broke the record for fewest points in a playoff game.
The loss snapped New Jersey's string of 14 consecutive postseason victories against Eastern Conference teams since last April. The Nets now have until Game 2 on Friday night to figure a way to solve a defense that held them to 25 first-half points.
Only reserve Tamar Slay's jumper with 42 seconds left allowed the Nets to avoid tying the lowest playoff total in league history - 54 points by Utah against Chicago during the 1998 NBA Finals.
New Jersey shot just 27.1 percent, its worst shooting game in team playoff history, and tied the postseason record for fewest field goals - 19 - in what was easily its worst offensive performance of the season.
Looking at it another way, the Nets lost by 22 points despite holding the Pistons to no more than 21 points in any quarter.
Detroit and New Jersey combined for just 62 points as the Pistons held a 37-25 halftime lead. The old record of 63 combined points was reached three times, most recently in Game 3 of the NBA Finals last June when San Antonio led the Nets 33-30 at halftime.
Detroit's Ben Wallace had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Richard Hamilton added 15.
Kenyon Martin scored just 11 for the Nets, Richard Jefferson had eight - on 1-of-12 shooting - and Jason Kidd added nine points and six assists.
Detroit gave up 84.3 points a game during the regular season, the third-lowest scoring average since the NBA began using a shot clock during the 1954-55 season. It set a league record by holding 11 opponents - including five straight - under 70 points, and 36 in a row to less than 100.
The Pistons' under-70 streak stopped at New Jersey in the teams' last regular-season meeting when the Nets committed an intentional foul to stop the clock with 13.1 seconds left. Aaron Williams then made a tip-in with 1.1 seconds remaining in an 89-71 loss, and the Pistons mocked New Jersey for celebrating the basket.
Now, the can mock the Nets again, if they choose, after imposing their will in the opener of this best-of-seven series.
"I don't think it will do anything but wake up that team," Pistons coach Larry Brown said.
The Nets may have been rusty after a full week off after sweeping New York in the first round.
When New Jersey tried to run, arms and bodies got in the way of their passes and running lanes. When the Nets had open shots, they seemed to rush them. Even 14-year veteran Elden Campbell got in the act, blocking Rodney Rogers' dunk attempt late in the third quarter.
The Nets, who had oozed confidence thanks to their streak, turned expressionless as the Pistons shut them down.
The first and only outward sign of frustration came when rookie coach Lawrence Frank took a few steps onto the court, wanting a flagrant foul called when Chauncey Billups fouled Kidd early in the third quarter.
When Detroit called a timeout with four minutes left holding a 17-point lead, Kidd, Kittles and Jefferson stared at the court as they walked to their bench.
Martin and Jefferson - New Jersey's top two scorers - combined for twice as many fouls (10) as field goals.
Detroit took the lead for good on Prince's jumper with one minute left in the first quarter, making the score 16-14 and starting a 9-0 run.
New Jersey pulled to 37-31 early in the third quarter before Ben Wallace started a 12-0 run in which Prince scored six points. The Nets got no closer than 15 in the fourth quarter. |
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