Auburn Hills, Mich. – Seven’s up.
The reigning NBA champion Detroit Pistons forced a deciding Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals by dominating the Miami Heat – which played without Dwyane Wade – 91-66 on Saturday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Game 7 is Monday night in Miami, and the winner will face Western Conference champion San Antonio in the NBA Finals starting Thursday.
“I would rather play an elimination game every game,” said Pistons guard Richard Hamilton, who scored a team-high 24 points. “That’s what I always loved about the NCAA Tournament, because there was no other game, so you were not allowed to let yourself come out and relax or take a game off knowing that you have another game to play.”
The Eastern Conference finals have produced only two Game 7s the past seven years. The Pistons are 3-4 in Game 7s; the Heat is 2-1.
“We worked hard all year long, won 59 games for one reason, and that’s to have home-court advantage in a Game 7 situation,” said Heat guard Damon Jones, whose team is 6-1 at home during the playoffs.
Wade didn’t play Saturday because of a strained rib-cage muscle he suffered in Thursday’s Game 5. He worked out for about 20 minutes before Saturday’s tipoff, shooting jumpers and free throws while driving half-speed to shoot midrange jumpers and post shots.
The workout drew grimaces from Wade, who has averaged 27 points in the Eastern finals. Heat coach Stan Van Gundy didn’t offer any insight about Wade’s status for Game 7. Wade didn’t talk to reporters.
“I’m confident that he’ll be playing,” said Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds. “But if he’s not, everyone has to step up in Game 7 – including me.”
Now it’s the NBA champs vs. the team with the East’s best record. Stay tuned.
“It’s the kind of situation where I hate to see anybody lose,” Detroit coach Larry Brown said. “But the reward is so great and from my perspective, I’ve been doing this a long time; you don’t get into many Finals situations like this or Game 7s. It’s going to be a long wait.
“I’m nervous about this, but I hope my players enjoy this.”
Said the Heat’s Jones: “We’re going home, and we’ve been good at home all year long. You know, win or go home.
“And I don’t fish.”
Footnotes
After Washington Wizards director of player personnel Milt Newton learned Friday that he no longer was in the running to be the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager, it raised questions about whether Brown still was in the mix for the job as Cavs president. Newton played on an NCAA championship team for Brown at Kansas.
The news prompted rumors that Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe had resurfaced as a candidate to be the Cavs’ president.
An NBA source said Brown still is expected to get the job. …
Brown shrugged off criticism from Hall of Famer and TV analyst Bill Walton for pursuing the Cleveland president job during the playoffs.
“I can’t wait to see him again,” Brown said. “I’m just hoping. I’m that fond of him.”
Walton also took a shot at Nuggets coach George Karl, saying the situation “is the kind of thing you would expect from George Karl, not Larry Brown.” …
The Palace of Auburn Hills police received a phone call at 6:12 p.m. EST stating that if the game was played Saturday a bomb would go off, according to an Auburn Hills police department press release.
The Auburn Hills police department and the FBI took a 42-year-old Lapeer, Mich., resident into custody before halftime. At no time was anyone at the arena in danger.
