AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, 12 June 2004 — The Detroit Pistons got 31 points from Richard Hamilton while their crippling defense shut down the Los Angeles Lakers in an 88-68 rout on Thursday and a 2-1 series lead in the NBA final. Game Three of the best-of-seven series began with worrying questions about how Detroit would respond to a crushing overtime loss to the Lakers in Game Two.
But any concerns over the lingering affects of the stunning collapse were quickly erased as the Pistons, feeding off the energy of a raucous sell-out crowd of 22,076 at the Palace, took control from the opening tip-off and never trailed.
Playing tenacious defense that has become their trademark, the Pistons defused the Lakers two biggest weapons Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal handing Los Angeles one of their most embarrassing defeats in franchise history.
The 68 points scored by the Lakers were their fewest ever in an NBA playoff game and the third lowest finals total in the shot clock era. “I don’t think we can defend better than tonight,” Piston’s coach Larry Brown said. “We held them to 68 points, shooting 40 percent. For us that is an incredible accomplishment. This is as good as we can play.”
Bryant, who has produced some of his best performances this postseason while dealing with the distractions of his impending sexual assault trial, received some unwelcome news just before tip-off when a judge rejected a bid by his lawyers to overturn Colorado’s rape shield law.
But on this night, Bryant would find no comfort on the court, the all-star guard was out of sorts hitting for a measly 11 points and just one in the opening half. O’Neal, whose 34.2 all-time scoring average in the finals is second only to Rick Barry, was equally ineffective and limited to 14 points by the Pistons, including just two in the second half.
The Lakers dynamic duo was not the only members of their all-star cast to endure a frustrating evening. Gary Payton was held to six points while a hobbled Karl Malone contributed five.
Malone, who sprained knee ligaments in Game Two, was not expected to play but was in the Lakers starting line-up, his right leg fitted with a brace. The 19-year veteran and future Hall of Famer, who signed on with Los Angeles this season for less money and playing time for a shot at the NBA championship, turned in a courageous effort but was mostly ineffective spending most of the night limping up and down the court.
Energized by the crowd, the Pistons jumped out to a 24-16 first quarter lead and continued to ride the momentum into the second constructing a useful 13-point advantage.
But as the second half approached, the Pistons lost their way and scoring touch allowing the Lakers to trim the deficit to 39-32.
The start of the second half unfolded much like the first, the Lakers moving to within five before the Pistons stamped their authority on the contest surging to a 60-44 lead.
Yao Ming to Promote Special Olympics Ahead of Shanghai 2007
In Beijing, NBA basketball star Yao Ming yesterday became a global ambassador for the Special Olympics, with the next Games scheduled to be held in his hometown of Shanghai in 2007.
“This is an exciting time to support the Special Olympics movement,” Yao was quoted as saying in a statement. “Globally, this movement is making incredible changes in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and transforming communities around the world,” Yao said in Shanghai. Yao will be charged with spreading the Special Olympics’ “message of inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities” and working directly with athletes, the organizing committee said.
