DETROIT, 15 May 2005 — Reggie Miller scored 17 points, including four late free throws and a crucial jumper in the final seconds, as the Indiana Pacers edged the Detroit Pistons 79-74 in National Basketball Association playoff action Friday night in Indianapolis.
Indiana now leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series 2-1. Game Four is in Indianapolis today.
The Pacers blew a 13-point fourth quarter lead but eventually rallied behind Miller after dominating most of the first three quarters.
Jamaal Tinsley scored 16 points for the Pacers, who had lost four of their previous five home playoff games.
Jeff Foster had eight points and hauled down 12 rebounds for Indiana, as no other Pacer player managed double-digits in scoring.
Indiana frustrated Detroit in the first half, out-scoring the reigning NBA champions 42-28. The Pistons eventually fought back to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, their first lead since early in the game, but the Pacers made the key shots in the final two minutes to seal the win.
The Pistons used just seven players in the game, with Chauncey Billups leading the offense with 23 points. Richard Hamilton added 16 points for the Pistons, while Ben Wallace hauled down 14 rebounds and scored seven points.
Rasheed Wallace added 13 points and nine rebounds for Detroit, while Tayshaun Prince had nine points and nine rebounds.
In the other playoff game, Amare Stoudemire had 37 points and 14 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 119-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Phoenix outscored Dallas 32-20 in the final quarter as the Suns shot 52 percent to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal. Game Four will be played today in Dallas. MVP Steve Nash had 27 points and dished out 17 assists for the Suns, while Shawn Marion had 21 points and nine rebounds and Jim Jackson had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot just 39 percent after scoring a last second 108-106 win in Phoenix in game two.
Jerry Stackhouse added 20 points and seven rebounds for Dallas, while Josh Howard had 15 points and six assists.
