ducks
05-19-2005, 10:21 AM
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - Reggie Miller is facing the end. The Detroit Pistons would like to write the final chapter.
The defending champions can advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a win against Miller and the Indiana Pacers in Game Six of their conference semifinal series on Thursday night.
If the sixth-seeded Pacers lose, it will be the final game for Miller, who spent his entire 18-year career with Indiana and ranks 12th on the all-time scoring list with 25,279 points. Even if the Pacers win, it could be the final home game for Miller.
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If necessary, Game Seven would be Sunday at Detroit.
The home team has won each game of the Western Conference semifinal series between the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs and the third-seeded Seattle SuperSonics, who host Game Six on Thursday night.
If the trend continues, then the series will shift to San Antonio for Game Seven on Sunday.
Miller would love to play in another Game Seven for Indiana. But the future Hall of Famer has struggled against the defensive-minded Pistons, averaging 11.4 points and shooting 38 percent in the first five games of the series.
Miller was a non-factor in Game Five at Detroit, making just 3-of-9 shots and scoring just eight points in an 86-67 loss on Tuesday.
"The Pistons are a great defensive team, we all know that," Miller said. "We've only reached 80 points twice in this series. We have to play better defense against them to have a chance."
The Pistons allowed one goaltended basket over a stretch of nearly 16 minutes in an astouding 30-4 run in Game Five.
Ben Wallace had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Tayshaun Prince added 16 and 12 for the Pistons, who again leaned on their championship formula of teamwork and defense. All five starters scored in double figures.
"Getting stops is the name of the game for us," Wallace said.
Indiana actually held a 31-27 lead with just over seven minutes left in the second quarter before missing 18 of its next 19 shots. Its only hoop during that stretch was a goaltended shot by Jeff Foster.
The Pistons closed the first half with a 15-4 spurt and opened the second half with a 15-0 run to build a 57-35 lead.
Indiana shot just 37 percent (24-of-69) from the field and was beaten on the boards, 52-34.
"We were just going through the motions," admitted Pacers swingman Stephen Jackson.
The winner of this series faces the top-seeded Miami Heat, who are 8-0 in the playoffs.
The SuperSonics are 5-0 at home in the playoffs, including two wins over the Spurs. But San Antonio took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 103-90 win on Tuesday.
Manu Ginobili returned to the starting lineup and scored a playoff career-high 39 points. He made 10-of-15 shots and 15-of-17 free throws, adding six assists and helping limit SuperSonics All-Star guard Ray Allen to 8-of-19 shooting.
Tim Duncan, who became the fifth player to earn All-NBA first-team honors in each of his first eight seasons, collected 20 points and 14 rebounds in Game Five for the Spurs.
Seattle hopes that All-Star forward Rashard Lewis will be able to return on Thursday. He has missed the last two games of the series with a sprained left big toe suffered near the end of Game Three.
The Phoenix Suns can clinch their Western Conference semifinal series with a win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Six on Friday.
The Suns took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 114-108 victory on Wednesday. NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash put his former team on the brink of elimination, recording his first career playoff triple-double with 34 points, 12 assists and 13 rebounds. Center Amare Stoudemire collected 33 points and 18 rebounds for the Suns.
If the Mavs win at home on Friday, then Game Seven will be at Phoenix on Sunday.
The defending champions can advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a win against Miller and the Indiana Pacers in Game Six of their conference semifinal series on Thursday night.
If the sixth-seeded Pacers lose, it will be the final game for Miller, who spent his entire 18-year career with Indiana and ranks 12th on the all-time scoring list with 25,279 points. Even if the Pacers win, it could be the final home game for Miller.
ADVERTISEMENT
If necessary, Game Seven would be Sunday at Detroit.
The home team has won each game of the Western Conference semifinal series between the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs and the third-seeded Seattle SuperSonics, who host Game Six on Thursday night.
If the trend continues, then the series will shift to San Antonio for Game Seven on Sunday.
Miller would love to play in another Game Seven for Indiana. But the future Hall of Famer has struggled against the defensive-minded Pistons, averaging 11.4 points and shooting 38 percent in the first five games of the series.
Miller was a non-factor in Game Five at Detroit, making just 3-of-9 shots and scoring just eight points in an 86-67 loss on Tuesday.
"The Pistons are a great defensive team, we all know that," Miller said. "We've only reached 80 points twice in this series. We have to play better defense against them to have a chance."
The Pistons allowed one goaltended basket over a stretch of nearly 16 minutes in an astouding 30-4 run in Game Five.
Ben Wallace had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Tayshaun Prince added 16 and 12 for the Pistons, who again leaned on their championship formula of teamwork and defense. All five starters scored in double figures.
"Getting stops is the name of the game for us," Wallace said.
Indiana actually held a 31-27 lead with just over seven minutes left in the second quarter before missing 18 of its next 19 shots. Its only hoop during that stretch was a goaltended shot by Jeff Foster.
The Pistons closed the first half with a 15-4 spurt and opened the second half with a 15-0 run to build a 57-35 lead.
Indiana shot just 37 percent (24-of-69) from the field and was beaten on the boards, 52-34.
"We were just going through the motions," admitted Pacers swingman Stephen Jackson.
The winner of this series faces the top-seeded Miami Heat, who are 8-0 in the playoffs.
The SuperSonics are 5-0 at home in the playoffs, including two wins over the Spurs. But San Antonio took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 103-90 win on Tuesday.
Manu Ginobili returned to the starting lineup and scored a playoff career-high 39 points. He made 10-of-15 shots and 15-of-17 free throws, adding six assists and helping limit SuperSonics All-Star guard Ray Allen to 8-of-19 shooting.
Tim Duncan, who became the fifth player to earn All-NBA first-team honors in each of his first eight seasons, collected 20 points and 14 rebounds in Game Five for the Spurs.
Seattle hopes that All-Star forward Rashard Lewis will be able to return on Thursday. He has missed the last two games of the series with a sprained left big toe suffered near the end of Game Three.
The Phoenix Suns can clinch their Western Conference semifinal series with a win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Six on Friday.
The Suns took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 114-108 victory on Wednesday. NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash put his former team on the brink of elimination, recording his first career playoff triple-double with 34 points, 12 assists and 13 rebounds. Center Amare Stoudemire collected 33 points and 18 rebounds for the Suns.
If the Mavs win at home on Friday, then Game Seven will be at Phoenix on Sunday.