Bulls, Pistons clash in Game 6 at the United Center

After dropping the first three games of the series, Chicago has come back to win the last two contests. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven set

On Tuesday, Ben Gordon scored 28 points as the fifth-seeded Bulls moved halfway to NBA history by pounding the top-seeded Pistons, 108-92, in Game 5 at the The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Luol Deng had 20 points and Kirk Hinrich ended with 17 points and 13 assists for the Bulls, who staved off elimination for a second straight game and shot 57.3 percent from the field, including an incredible 72.2 percent in the first half.

Chauncey Billups finished with 17 points in the loss to Chicago for the Pistons. Richard Hamilton contributed 16 points, while Rasheed Wallace netted 15 for Detroit, which shot 42.3 percent from the floor in defeat.

Three teams have forced a seventh game after dropping the first three of a best-of-seven series. Portland did it against Dallas in the first round of the 2003 playoffs, Denver versus Utah in the 1994 conference semifinals and the Knicks in the 1951 finals against Rochester.

If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for Monday at The Palace.

The Pistons, who swept No. 8 Orlando in the opening round of the postseason, have won nine of their last 10 Game 6s in the postseason. Detroit, which has made it to at least the conference semifinals for a sixth straight year, has appeared in the East finals four straight years.

Chicago has lost two straight Games 6s. The Bulls swept the fourth-seeded Miami Heat in round one of the postseason.

There is a lot of playoff history between Chicago and Detroit. This is the sixth time these clubs have battled in the postseason. The Pistons have won three of the five series.

Chicago eliminated the Pistons in seven games in the 1974 Western Conference semifinals and swept Detroit, 4-0, in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.

The Pistons beat the Bulls in five, 4-1, in the 1988 East semis. They also knocked out Chicago in the Eastern Conference finals in 1989 (4-2) and 1990 (4-3).

Detroit won its fifth Central Division title in the past six seasons during the 2006-07 campaign. The Pistons, who have reached the postseason for a sixth straight year, fell in six games against the Miami Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons are the No. 1 seed for the third time in four years and own home-court advantage throughout the East playoffs.

Chicago, which advanced past the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 1998 when it last won the NBA title, are in the playoffs for the third straight year and 28th time in team history.