2004 NBA Finals: Lakers at Pistons, Gm 3 part 1/12

Game 3 - Pistons 88, Lakers 68

With the series shifted to Detroit, the Pistons used a stifling defense to regain momentum and take a 2-1 series lead. Detroit held the Lakers to 68 points, the fewest the Lakers had ever scored in a playoff game.

Richard Hamilton bounced back from his poor shooting effort in Game 2 to score a game-high 31 points, making 11 of his 22 shots from the field and all seven of his free-throw attempts. The Pistons opened the game on an 8-0 run and never trailed.

Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with just 14 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field. After the game, O'Neal complained that he wasn't getting the ball enough in the series. Kobe Bryant failed to make a shot in the first half and finished with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Again, O'Neal and Bryant were the only Lakers players in double figures.

In the fourth quarter, the game was such a blowout that much-maligned Pistons rookie Darko Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, made his Finals debut. He played the final two minutes of the game but missed the only shot he attempted.

This was the 10th time since 1985 (when the Finals went to a 2-3-2 format) that teams split the first two games. Each of the previous nine times, the winner of Game 3 went on to win the title.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 2004
• NBA
• Finals
• Pistons
• Lakers

[VedoB]

This is by far the best defense I've ever watched in our era

[YiGMuSiC]

thx a lot for the upload !!

[dodoschizophonic]

Don't post the score !!!

[ChickenConPolloHD]

After this series, I've never liked the pistons and I will always hate them. This serious is probaly the worst memory when it comes to sports growing up. Second would be the Raiders losing the Superbowl and the 2008 series versus the celtics.

[2321tma]

can u plz not post the score in the description

[182isTommy]

LOL @ the jump balls in this series.

[dannywuyue]

@dirkiscool108 back then the NBA was A LOT more physical, it started declining after the 2005 season

[187Kdogg]

@dirkiscool108

Lol They were hella blind back at the 02 Western conference Finals

[MrEdHizzle]

@dirkiscool108 um no it wasnt 

[MrPatrickdoan]

Lol! Ben's afro >.<

[rickys162]

The thing i loved about pistons back then was when big ben would have a afro at home lol