Detroit Pistons' Tayshaun Prince (left) and Rasheed Wallace (right) double Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference basketball series in Auburn Hills, Michigan, on Monday night. The Pistons won 79-76. - Reuters

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Reuters):

THE Detroit Pistons scraped a 79-76 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Auburn Hills on Monday night to draw first blood in their Eastern Conference finals series.

Chauncey Billups nailed a three-pointer late in the final quarter to clinch the win, his arching shot with less than two minutes to play, edging the Pistons ahead at 78-76 in a wild last frame that saw the lead change hands eight times.

The Cavaliers twice had the chance to win or tie the game in the dying moments, Zydrunas Ilgauskas missing a jumper with 12 seconds to play and Donyell Marshall misfiring on a potential game-winning three-pointer with five left on the clock.

Billups then sealed the win, hitting one of two free throws as the 183rd consecutive sellout crowd at the Palace erupted in celebration.

Game Two of the best-of-seven series is at the same venuetomorrow night.

Richard Hamilton poured in a game-high 24 points and Rasheed Wallace added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons, who are making their fifth straight appearance in the conference finals.

Billups was ineffective most of the contest but delivered when it mattered most, scoring 10 of his 13 points in the final quarter.

The Pistons also did a superb job shutting down Cavaliers' leader LeBron James.

James, who entered the series as the leading scorer still in the play-offs at 25.9 points a game, was held to a post-season low 10 points, but finished just one assist shy of a triple double, pulling down 10 rebounds and dishing out nine helpers.

After the game, James came under attack for what appeared to be a lack of aggression and for taking just three shots in the final quarter with the game hanging in the balance.

"You've got to just take what's there, it's not about taking high-volume shots, it's about trying to win the basketball game," James said.

Opportunity to win

"We had an opportunity to win with me taking three shots in the fourth quarter.

"My game is not solely about taking a lot of shots, we had an opportunity to win.

"On the whole, we played pretty well."

Despite a quiet first half from James, the Cavaliers grabbed the lead from the opening tip-off and carried it to a 41-35 advantage at the halftime intermission.

Detroit came out flying to start the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the night.

Powered by eight third quarter points from Chris Webber and seven from Hamilton, the Pistons motored ahead 52-47 before the Cavaliers put the brakes on the Detroit drive, trimming the deficit to one 56-55 entering the final quarter.

"It's one game and we understand it's one game," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown cautioned.

"It's going to be a long series.

"That's a very, very good basketball team, the Pistons, and if you expect to beat them you've got to have game plan."