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Pistons run out of air as Nets win Eastern Conference finals
New Jersey, May 26: Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets have beaten the Detroit Pistons. Kidd collected 26 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Nets completed a sweep of the Eastern Conference finals with a 102-82 victory over the spluttering Pistons.
New Jersey, May 26: Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets have beaten the Detroit Pistons. Kidd collected 26 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Nets completed a sweep of the Eastern Conference finals with a 102-82 victory over the spluttering Pistons.
The Nets won their 10th straight playoff in East Rutherford on Saturday (May 24) -- the fourth-longest streak in NBA history - as they completed their second straight series sweep. They will have 10 days off until visiting San Antonio or Dallas on June 4.
After winning a pair of squeakers in Detroit, the Nets returned home and twice ran the Pistons off the court at Continental Airlines Arena. They had 51 fast-break points to four for the Pistons, who came in sporting the NBA's top defense.
Leading the charge was Kidd, who never seems to stop running. In the last two games, the All-Star point guard has had 60 points, 24 rebounds and 13 assists.
Not even an ankle injury could slow down Kidd. With just under seven minutes to go, he rose for a rebound and twisted his right ankle as he landed on the right foot of Pistons center Ben Wallace. Grabbing his foot while on the floor, he brought a collective gasp from the sellout crowd.
But Kidd got up on his own, never left the game and scored the last eight Nets points in a 13-1 spurt that sealed it at 96-75 with 3:10 to go. He departed seconds later to a standing ovation.
Martin and Richard Jefferson scored 14 points each for the second-seeded Nets, who shot 53 percent (42-of-79) from the field, held a 51-27 advantage on the boards and 19-0 in fast-break points as they became the only team in the series to score in triple digits.
Cliff Robinson scored 21 points and Richard Hamilton added 20 for the top-seeded Pistons, who have lost 16 of their last 18 playoff road games.
They had reached the conference finals for the first time since 1991, when they were swept by Chicago. This marked the ninth time Detroit has been swept out of the playoffs.
Just as the games in Detroit were carbon copies of slow-down style, the two in New Jersey both were breakneck basketball. The Nets again grabbed the lead for good in the first quarter and maintained it before pulling away.
Reserve Aaron Williams scored six points in a 9-0 spurt that gave New Jersey a 28-17 lead late in the first quarter.
Detroit closed to 28-23 after one period, and consecutive 3-pointers by rookie Mehmet Okur and Atkins cut it to 38-36 with 5:01 left in the second quarter.
But the Pistons went nearly five minutes without a basket. Kidd made a pair of jumpers to cap a 10-3 surge that rebuilt the lead to 48-41 late in the first half.
Martin had a jump shot and fast-break dunk to bookend an 8-2 spurt that gave the Nets a 62-47 lead with 6:50 to go in the third quarter.
A 3-pointer by Robinson pulled the Pistons within 77-71 with 9 1/2 minutes to play, but baskets by Martin and Kidd made it 83-72, and Detroit got no closer than nine thereafter.
Jason Collins and Rodney Rogers scored 10 points each and Martin swept 10 boards for the Nets. Ben Wallace had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who shot under 38 percent (28-of-74).
Bureau Report
But Kidd got up on his own, never left the game and scored the last eight Nets points in a 13-1 spurt that sealed it at 96-75 with 3:10 to go. He departed seconds later to a standing ovation.
Martin and Richard Jefferson scored 14 points each for the second-seeded Nets, who shot 53 percent (42-of-79) from the field, held a 51-27 advantage on the boards and 19-0 in fast-break points as they became the only team in the series to score in triple digits.
Cliff Robinson scored 21 points and Richard Hamilton added 20 for the top-seeded Pistons, who have lost 16 of their last 18 playoff road games.
They had reached the conference finals for the first time since 1991, when they were swept by Chicago. This marked the ninth time Detroit has been swept out of the playoffs.
Just as the games in Detroit were carbon copies of slow-down style, the two in New Jersey both were breakneck basketball. The Nets again grabbed the lead for good in the first quarter and maintained it before pulling away.
Reserve Aaron Williams scored six points in a 9-0 spurt that gave New Jersey a 28-17 lead late in the first quarter.
Detroit closed to 28-23 after one period, and consecutive 3-pointers by rookie Mehmet Okur and Atkins cut it to 38-36 with 5:01 left in the second quarter.
But the Pistons went nearly five minutes without a basket. Kidd made a pair of jumpers to cap a 10-3 surge that rebuilt the lead to 48-41 late in the first half.
Martin had a jump shot and fast-break dunk to bookend an 8-2 spurt that gave the Nets a 62-47 lead with 6:50 to go in the third quarter.
A 3-pointer by Robinson pulled the Pistons within 77-71 with 9 1/2 minutes to play, but baskets by Martin and Kidd made it 83-72, and Detroit got no closer than nine thereafter.
Jason Collins and Rodney Rogers scored 10 points each and Martin swept 10 boards for the Nets. Ben Wallace had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who shot under 38 percent (28-of-74).
Bureau Report