Celtics close out Pistons! Head to NBA Finals!

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. --- The Celtics rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to close out its Eastern Conference finals series against the Detroit Pistons, 4 games to 2, with an 89-81 victory in Game 6 to earn their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1987. The Celtics will face the Los Angeles Lakers, winners of the Western Conference, in a matchup of the NBA's most storied franchises.

Paul Pierce led the way for the Celtics by tallying 12 of his team-high 27 points in the final 7:35 of the game. Kevin Garnett, despite being plagued by five fouls, added 16 points and 5 rebounds while Ray Allen chipped in 17 points, 13 in the first half.

Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 29 points.

Trailing 70-60, the Celtics mounted their comeback by scoring seven in a row to pull within 3, 70-67.

Rajon Rondo sparked the rally when he drove hard for a lane floater with 10:02 to go. After James Posey picked up his first and second personals in rapid order, Kendrick Perkins, the unsung hero of Game 5, took a nice feed from Paul Pierce and threw it down for a foul-inducing dunk.

Perkins made the foul shot to halve Detroit's lead, 70-65.

Garnett, playing with four fouls, got Rasheed Wallace to commit his fifth personal, forcing Antonio McDyess (with three fouls) to sub for Wallace. Garnett made both foul shots to cut it 3, then, after the Pistons were called for a traveling violation, Garnett stuck a turnaround jumper to pull the Celtics within 70-69.

Pierce, crafty veteran that he is, got McDyess to commit his fourth personal, then got Jason Maxiell to commit his first personal to put the Pistons over the limit. Pierce went to the line with a chance to give the Celtics a 1-point lead, but missed the first and made the second to tie it, 70-70.

After both teams battled through two subsequent ties, Maxiell hit a jumper to give the Pistons a 74-72 lead with 5:47 left.

Pierce then scored the next seven in a row to give the Celtics a 79-74 lead. Garnett answered a Wallace turnaround jumper with one of his own before picking up his fifth foul with 3:17 left.

With 2:32 left, Rondo gave the Celtics some breathing room, 83-76, when he buried a baseline jumper from the corner.

After Posey made a huge steal to help the Celtics retain possession after a squandered offensive opportunity, Pierce went to the line (courtesy of Hamilton's third personal) and buried a pair of clutch foul shots to give the Celtics a 6-point lead and the buffer they would need to close out the Pistons.