Nets try to get stranglehold on Pistons

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., May 22 (UPI) -- The red-hot New Jersey Nets go for a three games to none lead over Detroit Thursday night in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Game Three, nationally televised by ABC Sports, will be played in East Rutherford, N.J., shortly after the draft lottery in nearby Seacaucus.

The Nets have won an eye-popping eight straight playoff games.

"We turned it on and we haven't been able to turn it off," said New Jersey Coach Byron Scott. "We don't want to turn it off, obviously."

The coach knows that his team is closing in on a second straight trip to the NBA Finals, a journey that would get much easier with a win on Thursday. No team has ever rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven NBA playoff series.

The second-seeded Nets last played at Continental Airlines Arena on May 7, and get a pair of games at home. They won each of the first two games of the series by two points, and their eight-game playoff run is tied for the sixth-longest in NBA history.

The Nets can match the nine-game runs of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and Chicago Bulls in 1996. The San Antonio Spurs had a record 12-game winning streak on the way to the 1999 title.

The top-seeded Pistons blew fourth-quarter leads in each of the first two games. Having lost the first two games at home, they are in a hole that only two teams have climbed out of -- the 1994 Houston Rockets and the 1969 Lakers.

"We could have very easily been on the other side of both of these games," said Detroit guard Jon Barry. "That's what makes this so frustrating."

Detroit has lost 14 of its last 16 road playoff games, but managed a huge win in Philadelphia on Friday to close out its semifinal playoff series.

The Pistons must find an answer for bourgeoning superstar Kenyon Martin, who scored 16 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter of Game Two.

Richard Hamilton scored 24 points to lead Detroit in Game Two, but Chauncey Billups continues to struggle. He managed 15 points and 10 assists in Game Two, but is shooting just 28 percent (7-of-25) in the series, and is playing on what was a badly-sprained left ankle.

Rookie Tayshaun Prince, who excelled in the Pistons' first two playoff series, was held to six points in 25 minutes on Tuesday.

The Western Conference finals are tied at a win apiece after San Antonio made its first 24 free throws in a 119-106 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Tim Duncan had 32 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks, and Malik Rose scored 25 points for the Spurs, who suffered a stunning loss in Game One. The Spurs blew an 18-point lead, partially by missing 17 of their 48 free throw attempts, while Dallas was an unconscious 49-of-50 from the line, the last 49 in a row.

The series shifts to Dallas for Game Three on Friday.

The NBA Finals start June 4 in the city of the West champion.