INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, 24 May 2004 — Reggie Miller drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 31 seconds left to lift Indiana a 78-74 victory over Detroit Saturday in Game One of the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference finals.

Miller’s clutch shot — his only basket of the game — was set up by a pick from Jeff Foster, a center whose contributions down the stretch were not as obvious but just as important.

“We’ve all seen it,” Pistons coach Larry Brown said of Miller’s shot. “He’s the best I’ve ever seen.”

Foster spent most of the contest fighting a losing battle with Ben Wallace and was scoreless until getting loose for a driving lay-up that pulled the Pacers into a 74-74 tie with 1:23 to go. The series could hinge on the little things ... rebounding, getting on the floor for loose balls,” Foster said. “Stuff like that is what is going to win games.”

“Foster was big for us, hitting the lay-up and then getting the offensive rebound on the next play,” Miller said.

On Indiana’s next possession, Jermaine O’Neal missed a jumper, but Foster leaped to tip it back to O’Neal. The Pacers reset their offense, and Foster set a hard screen on Richard Hamilton that freed Miller for a 3-pointer from the right wing.

“I told Jeff, ‘Just put a body on Rip (Hamilton),’“ Miller said. “I just need half a second of daylight.”

“The thing about Reggie, as games get tighter he’s the kind of guy that focuses in even more,” said Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “It was certainly time because we were having troubles.” Hamilton’s 3-pointer rattled in and out, but the Pistons got a reprieve when O’Neal missed two free throws with 19 seconds left. Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace missed 3-pointers, and Miller sealed it with a free throw.

Miller and Foster combined to make just 2-of-11 shots and score eight points. But the top-seeded Pacers needed every one of them to remain unbeaten at home in the playoffs.

For most of the game, Hamilton ran Miller ragged. He scored 23 points, most of them on jumpers after losing Miller in a maze of screens.

Detroit’s Ben Wallace had 11 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks and five assists. Billups scored 18 points but just one in the second half.

O’Neal had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Ron Artest scored 17 points for the Pacers, who host game two on Monday.