Rally helps Nets push Pistons behind 2-0 in series

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Another fourth-quarter comeback. Another two-point victory. Another breathless moment over a last-second shot that didn't go in.

The New Jersey Nets, behind Kenyon Martin's 16 points in the fourth quarter, beat the Detroit Pistons 88-86 Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Richard Jefferson's two free throws with 48 seconds remaining were the winning points, but the Pistons had two chances to tie or win. Corliss Williamson missed a short hook with about 30 seconds left, and Chauncey Billups couldn't put any mustard on a 3-pointer at the buzzer with Jason Kidd in his face.

Martin finished with 25 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who rallied from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit. They came back from 10 down in the third quarter in Sunday's 76-74 victory in Game 1.

The series moves to the Meadowlands for Game 3 on Thursday. Only two teams in NBA history have won a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games at home.

The Nets have won eight straight playoff games, including five in a row on the road.

Richard Hamilton, an offensive spark for the Pistons in the second half, led Detroit with 24 points, while Ben Wallace had seven points and 19 rebounds.

Kidd, who hit the winning shot in Game 1 with 1.4 seconds to go, had 20 points and seven assists for the Nets, while Jason Collins held his own against Wallace with 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

The game included 14 ties and 16 lead changes and little sustained offense until Hamilton got going in the third quarter. The Nets stayed in the game with a 19-7 edge in offensive rebounds for the game.

Pistons go up by 11

The Pistons seemed in control when Hamilton's short baseline jumper made it 69-58 early in the fourth quarter.

But Martin would not let Detroit go easily. He scored 14 of New Jersey's next 16 points, including two three-point plays and a putback. After Detroit's Jon Barry lost the ball, he drew a technical foul for complaining after Martin rammed home a breakaway dunk. Lucious Harris made the free throw to cut the lead to two with 6:06 remaining.

Kidd tied the game at 81 with a three-point play, making a 12-footer while acrobatically drawing the bump from Billups. An exchange of baskets between Hamilton and Martin made it 83 all, then Billups and Kidd traded shots to tie it at 85 with 1:45 left.

Jefferson made one of two free throws for the Nets, and Williamson did the same for the Pistons to tie it at 86 with 1:07 remaining. Jefferson then made the free throws for the game's final points.

The Pistons' final possession came after a timeout with 1.8 seconds left. Rookie Tayshaun Prince got the ball to Billups, but Kidd stayed close but vertical and wouldn't allow a good final shot.

The Nets needed only six seconds from the opening tip to score, with Kidd hitting Martin for an alley-oop dunk off the opening tip. But New Jersey scored just three more fast-break points in an opening quarter dominated by poor shooting and good defense.

There were four offensive fouls called in the quarter. The Pistons did show more aggression and better ball movement -- both missing in Game 1 -- but they were just 6-of-17 from the field and trailed 20-19.

Billups, playing on a sprained left ankle that is still not 100 percent, was a bit too aggressive at the end of the quarter, getting called for technical as the players walked off the court.

Mehmet Okur was again a spark of instant offense for the Pistons. He scored five straight points to open the second quarter, blocked a dunk attempt by Martin and stole the ball from Kidd in the open court in the second quarter.

But neither team could keep any momentum in a half with 13 lead changes and no lead bigger than five points. The Pistons went nearly six minutes without a field goal before closing the half with a modest 5-0 run to take a 42-39 lead. The Nets failed to score in the final three minutes of the half.

The Pistons had the game's longest sustained run in the third quarter, going on a 14-2 spurt to take a 58-48 lead. Hamilton sliced inside for a layup and hit a 17-footer, and Wallace converted a three-point play after stealing the ball from Martin at the other end. Billups' 3-pointer got the lead to double digits.

Prince, a rookie making his first playoff start, scored just six points in 25 minutes.

Notes: After going with the braids in Game 1, Wallace sported his trademark Afro on Tuesday. Asked if he'll keep the style for the games in New Jersey, he said: "I don't know. Boy, you get jokes on the road with the 'fro. They be killing the 'fro. Walk around with signs: 'Haircut, $10' and all that. Sometimes you can't give it to them on the road." ... Barry, who was less than thrilled when he didn't play in Game 1, made his series debut and scored three points. ... Okur left the game after getting poked in the right eye in the second quarter, but he returned a few minutes later. ... New Jersey forward Aaron Williams, who missed practice Monday to visit his ill grandmother in Illinois, scored five points in 16 minutes. ... New Jersey trailed at the half for the first time in this year's playoffs. They had led 10 times (9-1) and were tied once (0-1) through 11 games. ... The Pistons lost for the first time when leading at the half in the playoffs. They had been 7-0. ... Billups has made 51 straight free throws.