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Pistons aim to even series vs. Celtics

May 26, 2008 - 1:37 PM Boston at Detroit 8:30 pm EDT Eastern Conference finals Celtics lead, 2-1

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons can not afford another slow start.

The Pistons will try to use their playoff experience to even up things in Game Four of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Monday.

Boston relied on a big first quarter to end its six-game road losing streak in the postseason to easily dispatch Detroit with Saturday's 94-80 victory in Game Three.

"It was more like a gorilla," Paul Pierce said of Boston's road woes before Saturday. "Before the game, I told the guys, 'Hey, during the regular season, we were the best team in the league on the road, so let's go out there and show them."

Still recovering from a nagging right hamstring injury, All-Star guard Chauncey Billups struggled with just six points on 1-of-6 shooting for Detroit, which shot just 38 percent (28-of-73) from the field.

"It's very disappointing," Billups said. "We got off to a horrible start on both ends, and you can't do that against a team like that."

"We didn't come out and play," Pistons rookie guard Rodney Stuckey said. "You can't let a team like that start with two dunks. We had a chance to take control of the series, and we didn't do nothing with it."

Billups remains the key to success for Detroit, which is 0-3 when the 2004 Finals MVP fails to reach double figure this postseason - including two loss in this series.

The loss gave the Celtics home-court advantage again.

"They have home court back," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "That makes Monday a crucial game for us - no ifs, ands or buts."

Boston coach Doc Rivers received rare contributions from Kendrick Perkins and James Posey, getting 24 points and 14 rebounds from the duo.

"We've talked a lot about both ends of the floor in the last 48 hours, and we took care of both of them, which was great," Rivers said. "The defensive pressure was great all game, and the offensive ball movement was terrific all game. We play like that, we like our chances."