Pistons game away from sweep

Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups stepped up at just the right time and the Detroit Pistons are on the verge of another NBA series sweep.

Prince scored 23 points and Billups added 21, and the Pistons rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 81-74 on Thursday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Chicago.

The Pistons, who swept Orlando in the first round, will try to wrap up this one Sunday at the United Center.

No NBA team has won a best-of-7 series after dropping the first three games, and only three major professional teams have done that – the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders and 2004 Boston Red Sox.

After blowing out the Bulls in the first two games at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons trailed 44-28 at halftime. They were down 49-30 early in the third and 55-38 midway through the quarter.

Around the league

Steve Nash was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA team and was joined by Phoenix Suns teammate Amare Stoudemire on a squad made up entirely of Western Conference players. Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, San Antonio forward Tim Duncan and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, the league’s leading scorer, rounded out the first team. … The Boston Celtics gave coach Doc Rivers a contract extension, giving him a chance at possibly coaching Greg Oden or Kevin Durant next season. The terms or length of the extension weren’t announced.