Pistons cool off Heat 78-77
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-27 12:25

Richard Hamilton caught an inbounds pass under the basket and banked in a short shot with 1.3 seconds left, giving the Detroit Pistons an 78-77 win over Miami on Friday night as the Heat lost for the first time in nine games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal (32), guarded by Detroit Pistons forward Derrick Coleman, looks to pass during the second quarter at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., Friday, Nov. 26, 2004. [AP]

Udonis Haslem, who made a go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds to go, missed a long, fadeaway jumper at the buzzer.

The Heat left the court angry at the officials after Rasheed Wallace raised a hand near the basket and appeared to the final shot as it hit the front of the rim, but the referees declined to call goaltending.

Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 24 points, making all 10 of his free throw attempts. Chauncey Billups added 15. The Pistons are .500 this season and 2-2 since their brawl with the Indiana Pacers a week ago.

With beefed-up security, a fan near midcourt was calmly escorted away from the floor after heckling the Heat early in the fourth quarter. He did not return to his seat, but Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek said the fan was not removed from the arena.

Earlier, the crowd was so tame and the game so boring that one fan was shown on the scoreboard taking a nap.

Detroit's Ben Wallace missed his fourth game as part of a six-game suspension for his part in the infamous melee.

Shaquille O'Neal had 24 points and 17 rebounds for the Heat and Dwayne Wade had 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting and six assists before fouling out with 1:51 left. Haslem added 15 points one game after scoring a career-high 21.

Miami led 24-18 after the first, the 10th straight game the Pistons trailed following the opening quarter.

Detroit was ahead 42-40 at halftime following a 15-6 run. The Pistons started the fourth quarter with a 62-56 lead.

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