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Billups, Pistons aim to eliminate Bulls

May 13, 2007 - 12:41 PM Detroit at Chicago 3:30 pm EDT Eastern Conference Semifinals Game Four

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Chauncey Billups and the Detroit Pistons want to remain perfect in the playoffs.

The top-seeded Pistons aim to close out their second straight postseason sweep when they face the Chicago Bulls on Sunday in Game Four of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

After beating the Orlando Magic in four games, Detroit has won the first three games against the Bulls, including an 81-74 come-from-behind victory here on Thursday. The Pistons trailed 49-30 before closing the third quarter with a 30-12 run.

Billups was the catalyst with 10 points in the quarter before leading the team in the fourth on a 15-8 spurt in the final 7:24.

The 10-year veteran finished with 21 points and seven assists while his teammate Tayshaun Prince led the Pistons with 23 points.

Detroit in this series has watched Billups and his backcourt mate Richard Hamilton severely outplay their counterparts Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich. The pair of two-time All-Stars are averaging a combined 38.3 points on 46 percent shooting compared to 22 points and 36 percent for the Bulls' duo.

The Pistons are making life miserable for Bulls' shooters, holding Chicago to 34 percent (74-of-220) from the field for the series.

With a second sweep of these playoffs, Detroit can match its 1989 championship club which defeated Milwaukee 4-0 in the conference semifinals, then swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Chicago has faced the prospect of being swept in a seven-game series four times in club history and only once has it won Game Four. In 1970, the Bulls were down 3-0 to the Atlanta Hawks before winning the fourth game. However that series ended in five games.