Celts Perfect at Home No More

Wily Pistons smack down upstarts in 87-85 nailbiter
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 20, 2007 4:11 AM CST
Celts Perfect at Home No More
Detroit Pistons' Chauncey Billups (1) celebrates after making a shot late in the fourth quarter as Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett reacts in back during an NBA basketball game in Boston on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007. The Pistons beat the Celtics 87-85. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)   (Associated Press)

Boston may still have the NBA's best record, but an unintimidated Detroit team served notice that they're not conceding the East just yet. The Celts dropped their first game at home, 87-85, in heart-stopping fashion; they choked away a third-quarter lead, then stormed back to tie it with 20 seconds left.

With the score knotted at 85, Detroit's über-veteran Chauncey Billups turned over the ball with five ticks left. Paul Pierce, who had a forgettable 5-of-16 night, hurried an errant jumper and the Pistons snared the rebound. Billups, a 91% free-throw shooter, then calmly drew a foul with 0.1 remaining, and the rest was history. (More NBA stories.)

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