Nets Go Three Overtimes to Win

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Jason Kidd didn’t even know who bloodied his nose toward the end of a pivotal playoff game that took four hours to play and three overtimes to decide.

Unlike the first four games New Jersey and Detroit played, it wasn’t a blowout, the home team didn’t win, and one of the stars was a former USC player who had scored a total of six points in the four previous games of this series.

Richard Jefferson scored 18 of his 31 points after regulation, and reserve Brian Scalabrine had a career-high 17 points Friday night to lead the Nets to a 127-120 victory over the Pistons -- and a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“That was an amazing game. It’s just a shame that someone had to lose,” Kidd said.

Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, who scored 31 points, forced the first overtime when he stepped over half court and hoisted a shot that went in off the backboard at the buzzer.

“There were so many overtimes, I don’t know which overtime was which,” said Billups, who was the only Piston starter to avoid fouling out.

Frank said he was thinking, “I’m an idiot,” when Billups made the desperation heave.

“I could have fouled, and I could have doubled the ball, and I didn’t do either one,” Frank said. “That almost cost us the game.”

Scalabrine, a former Trojan, made all four of his three-point shots, including one that gave New Jersey a 122-118 lead with about 40 seconds left in the third overtime.

“I’m not surprised, basketball players always believe in themselves,” said Scalabrine, who had scored no more than 16 points in his three NBA seasons.

“Every time we went to another OT, and it seemed like there were six of them, I thought ‘Great! I get to play five more minutes,’ ” he added.

Game 6 is Sunday in New Jersey.

Four players on each team fouled out, setting an NBA playoff record.

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Working Overtime

Longest playoff games in the NBA:

* BOSTON 111, SYRACUSE 105

Four overtimes -- March 21, 1953

Eastern Division semifinals, Game 2

* NEW JERSEY 127, DETROIT 120

Three overtimes -- May 14, 2004

Eastern Conference semifinals, Game 5

* PHOENIX 129, CHICAGO 121

Three overtimes -- June 13, 1993

NBA Finals, Game 3

* BOSTON 128, PHOENIX 126

Three overtimes -- June 4, 1976

NBA Finals, Game 5