Agence France Presse

Miami, May 24:

The defending NBA champions Detroit Pistons seized control of the Eastern Conference finals with a 90-81 game one win over top seed Miami Heat. Detroit got outstanding performances from Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups and controlled Shaquille O’Neal and his new Heat sidekick Dwyane Wade. Wallace had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Billups scored eight of his 18 points in the final five minutes, when the Pistons showed their championship mettle and dealt Miami their first loss of the postseason. In 34 minutes, O’Neal scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. However, he grabbed just five rebounds and was not a factor down the stretch. After Miami had erased a 14-point third-quarter deficit and pulled into an 80-80 tie, Billups made a pair of baskets around a free throw by O’Neal to give Detroit the lead for good with 3:50 remaining. It was still 84-81 when Wallace made a terrific block of Udonis Haslem’s jumper and saved the rebound with 1:35 to play. Wade missed a 3-pointer and Billups hit a runner and two free throws to seal it. The Heat did not have a basket in the last five minutes, missing their last seven shots. Wade was held to 16 points on 7-of-25 shooting as he was hounded by Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince. Hamilton scored 16 and Ben Wallace added 13 and 13 rebounds for Pistons, who had six players in double figures and a 41-34 rebounding edge. Game Two is on Wednesday.