Pistons winning free-throw battle

Updated: June 9, 2004, 12:08 PM ET

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By Terry Brown
NBA Insider

Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups isn't your everyday draft day bust who was selected No. 3 in 1997 by the Boston Celtics, traded midway through the season to the Toronto Raptors and one more time to the Denver Nuggets before his second season even started.

Because if Kobe Bryant's game-tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in Game 2 of the 2004 NBA Finals had missed, the Pistons could have very well been the next NBA Champions and Billups would have been their MVP.

Not Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan or Hakeem Olajuwon.

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