2004 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 vs Pacers

Lore & Background

The Pistons advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years by defeating the Indiana Pacers 4–2 in the Eastern Conference finals. The series included a memorable block by Tayshaun Prince on Reggie Miller in Game 2, which helped tie the series. The Pistons then rode the momentum to a 4–2 series victory.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Conseco Fieldhouse was thick with tension, smelling of popcorn and anticipation. In the tunnel, Chauncey Billups adjusted his wrist tape, eyes locked forward. He knew the noise outside would try to break them, but the bond in this locker room was forged in the fire of previous losses. They weren't here for glory yet; they were here to survive one more night.

Reader's Guide

The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. This format was only used in the Finals; all other playoff series were held in a 2–2–1–1–1 format (the team with home court advantage starts). The Pistons became the fourth team to sweep the middle three games since the NBA started using the 2-3-2 format in 1985, but the first to do so at home; the previous three times this had occurred, it was done by away teams (1990 Pistons, 1991 Chicago Bulls, 2001 Lakers). This feat would later be accomplished by two more teams (the 2006 and 2012 Miami Heat, both on their home floor) before the Finals reverted to 2-2-1-1-1 format in 2014. This was the first Finals series to be played on a Sunday–Tuesday–Thursday rotation since 1990, the last year CBS had the NBA's national television contract. It is also the last series to have Game 1 be played on a Sunday.

Did You Know?

• The Pistons became the first team in NBA history to hold five consecutive opponents under 70 points during the regular season.
• Pistons' owner William Davidson became the first owner in American sports history to win two championships in one calendar year, as his Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup eight days earlier.
• The series is commonly referred to as a 'five-game sweep' because Detroit dominated in each of their four wins while the Lakers barely managed to win Game 2 in overtime.