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Shorthanded Shock advance to conference finals

Sep 24, 2008 - 1:23 AM AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- If there was any doubt about the Detroit Shock's ability to play without forward Plenette Pierson, those concerns were forgotten after the first quarter Tuesday night.

Deanna Nolan scored 21 points and Katie Smith added 15 as the Shock got off to a quick start and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight season with an 80-61 victory over the Indiana Fever in the decisive Game Three of their semifinal series.

Kara Braxton scored 12 points for Detroit, which will face the New York Liberty in Game One of the conference finals Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Liberty defeated the Connecticut Sun, 66-62, in Game Three of their semifinal series Monday.

The Shock, who improved to 11-0 at home against Eastern Conference opponents this season, took a commanding 30-7 lead after the first quarter and a 49-19 advantage at halftime.

All of that success came without Pierson, who is Detroit's rugged interior force. Nolan picked up the slack from the perimeter, shooting 9-of-19 from the field - including 2-of-5 from the arc.

After a demoralizing first half, Indiana outscored Detroit, 24-11, in the third quarter to cut its deficit to 17 entering the final period but could not make much more of a push.

Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 20 points for the Fever.