The Detroit Pistons have taken a commanding lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association championship finals.
Detroit beat L-A 88-80 Sunday to take a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series to decide the championship. Rasheed Wallace led the Pistons with 26 points and 13 rebounds. The victory is the second in a row in the series for the Pistons.
Lakers' star Shaquille O'Neal led all scorers with 36 points and 20 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 20 points for L-A, which watched its hopes of winning a fourth NBA championship in five years begin to fade.
No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-1 game deficit to win the championship. Detroit can clinch the title in Game Five at home Tuesday.