Kobe and Shaq too much to large for Pistons in Game 2

Turning out the lights is exactly what Kobe Byrant and Shaquille O'Neal did to the Detroit Pistons and their fans.

You don't even have to work at a Michigan electric utility company to realize the power level flows decreased and hearts dropped as TVs switched off in the State of Michigan immediately following the L.A. Lakers' 99-91 OT Game 2 NBA Finals victory.

The Lakers are now three games closer and the Pistons three games further away from the NBA crown, as the NBA's best defensive team couldn't thwart the NBA's best two players down the stretch in Tuesday night's game.

The Pistons led by six with 47 seconds left in regulation before the Lakers' core of O'Neal and Byrant worked their wonders.

O'Neal was fouled following a lay-up by Ben Wallace and made the free throw putting them down by only three.

Following a missed Chauncey Billups shot, the Lakers got the ball back with 10 seconds and the inevitable was about to happen.

Kobe Byrant would sink a three pointer from two feet behind the three-point line in the face of his top opponent and former high school rival Rip Hamilton to send the game into overtime.

From there it was Byrant and O'Neal outscoring the Pistons 10-2 in the OT period to seal the game and tie the NBA Finals at one game apiece.

Piston coach Larry Brown's strategy of slowing down everyone else on the Lakers but the big two big men had all about worked.

Bryant and O'Neal had 63% of the Lakers points, which was down 16% from their Game 1 loss.

All the while four players on the Pistons scored in double figures and everyone on the squad that played, except Mike James and Darvin Ham, scored for Detroit in the first two games.

However, the question as to why the Pistons decided not to foul and let Byrant have the opportunity to tie the game will go down in infamy.

Over the last three season, the Pistons have not believed in intentionally fouling, nor sliding off their men to help out very often, because they wholeheartedly believed their individual abilities to play one-on-one defense would prevail.

It didn't Tuesday Night.

But, having one game in the bag going home for three back in Detroit is a surprise bonus to everyone following the series except them.

Some illegitimately compared the Game 1 victory to Brown's in 2001 over L.A. when he was the coach of Philadelphia.

Not the case, as the Sixers won an OT struggle in their Game 1 win, while the Pistons dominated the Lakers in theirs.

Even though the Pistons have dominated the Lake Show at home in their last two regular season games at home, Tuesday night is why you can never count the Lakers out.

The Lakers totally comprise the glitz and glam of a city built upon movies, but have the surprising grit and determination of many movie characters.

Byrant flying back and forth to games following court appearances while playing exceedingly well under great fatigue is one that sticks out.

So a rabid Pistons fan base comprised of over exuberant young people who feasted upon some of the NBA's lowest ticket prices the past few years shouldn't show any awe towards them the next three games.

However, Lakers' hanger-ons like Karl Malone and Gary Payton have to play better in order for L.A. to prevail.

Had Malone not had a 30-point performance in Game 4 against Houston, the Lakers might not be in the NBA Finals today.

In addition, the Lakers role players of Kareem Rush, Derek Fisher, Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Game 2's unsung hero Luke Walton, will have to come up with timely shots and plays like they have throughout the playoffs in order for the Lakers not to go down in Motown.

On Thursday, the defensive struggle and a surprising NBA Finals' battle will continue.