NBA Game Summary - San Antonio at Detroit

Auburn Hills, MI (Basketball News) - Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups combined to score 44 points, and the Detroit Pistons used a big fourth quarter to beat San Antonio 96-79 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday.

After falling behind 0-2 with road losses in the first two games, the Pistons picked up a much-needed win at home and can even the series when the teams meet at the Palace again on Thursday night.

Hamilton scored 24 points after collecting just 14 in each of the first two games, and Billups added 20 with seven assists and six rebounds.

The guards provided a much-needed spark during Detroit’s 23-6 run in the fourth quarter, which turned a 63-61 deficit into an 84-69 advantage.

Billups hit a trio three-pointers in the second half after the Pistons had made just one in the first 10 quarters of the series. His last three began an 11-0 burst that capped Detroit’s large run, which put the game out of reach for the Spurs with 6 1/2 minutes left.

San Antonio, which won the first two games of the series by an average of 18 points, allowed 90 points for the first time in its 14 NBA Finals games. The Pistons had scored just 145 total points in Games 1 and 2.

Tony Parker led the way for the Spurs with 21 points and Tim Duncan had 14 with 10 rebounds. Duncan scored just four points and had only two rebounds in the second half.