Rasheed Wallace and the Pistons are moving on. His double double (16 and 13) along with four assists and great interior defense (2 blocks) helped lead the Pistons to a 95-85 Game 6 victory at the United Center.

The Bulls were looking to become only the fourth NBA team to come from 0-3 down to force a deciding seventh game. The last team to accomplish it was the Blazers in 2003 before falling to Dallas in Game 7.

Instead, the more experienced Pistons finally came out with a sense of desperation on both sides of the floor. They executed much better offensively and were tenacious defensively just like in Games 1-3 which might help explain the Bulls inefficient 37.3 percent (28-of-75) from the floor. During the telecast, ESPN used a good graphic about how Chicago had similar shooting nights in the first three losses where they were basically 35-or-under as compared to 49 percent and 57 percent in their two consecutive wins entering tonight.

Detroit’s trademark D was back and didn’t allow explosive Bulls such as Kirk Hinrich (11 pts on 3-of-13 FG), Ben Gordon (19 on 7-of-18 FG, 4-for-9 3’s) and Luol Deng (17 on 7-of-14 FG) to explode from the perimeter.

The key for the Pistons in reaching their fifth straight Eastern Conference Final was a good start unlike the dismal one they had in Game 5.

They shot the ball extremely well in the opening quarter and led by five 28-23 after one. Building as much as a seven point lead, they seemed to be in command. But some inspired play by 37 year-old veteran P.J. Brown brought the Bulls all the way back in a strong finish to the second quarter in which Chicago outscored Detroit by 10 to take a five point lead to the locker room.

The power forward became the bulk of the offense matching his playoff career high by scoring 20 first half points on a variety of buckets from within 15-16 feet. His inspired play (7-of-15 FG) sparked his teammates as they turned up the defense a couple of notches sending the home supporters into a frenzy. Brown left to a deserved ovation.

Andres Nocioni also came off the bench for 10 points and six rebounds including a couple of dunks and three free throws after being fouled on a three.

If the Bulls played a strong second, then the Pistons flexed their muscles at the start of the second half. Apparently, they got the message from Flip Saunders that this was serious. Picking up the defensive intensity and executing in the halfcourt thanks to some tough jumpers from Richard Hamilton (23 pts on 9-of-18 FG and 5-of-5 FT), they came out with a 12-1 run to start the second half to lead by six.

The Bulls never led again. They stayed within striking distance but just couldn’t get shots to go from the outside. All night, their big three of Hinrich, Gordon and Deng were forced into difficult shots. On one sequence, the super quick Gordon drove around three Pistons and took a high arcing off balance floater from about 13 and missed badly.

It was that kind of game for the younger Bulls who learned a valuable lesson about what it takes to reach the NBA’s elite.

Underrated Piston Tayshaun Prince saved his best for the final 12 minutes converting a on a couple of tough hooks on the inside and also finishing off a Wallace backdoor feed for a jam for six of his 17. The ex-Kentucky star also made his only trey in the third quarter when Detroit turned the game around. Prince is one of those guys who sneaks up on you. He isn’t flashy but does many things well including lockdown defense. He can beat you inside or outside. Prince finished also with nine boards, three assists and a block and converted more than half his shots going 8-for-15.

Chauncey Billups had a quiet game from the field finishing just 3-of-12 but made a living at the line making all 14 while adding seven assists and two steals. He played great D on both Hinrich and Gordon. There’s a reason the former Colorado star is so good. It’s because he’s a constant presence.

The most disappointing aspect of this game was how Scott Skiles coached it. My buddy John who’s studying abroad in Italy had complained for a long time about Skiles’ coaching style.

In this game, the laid back and snappy Chicago native who is in his third year at Stanford was proven right. With ex-Piston Ben Wallace clearly playing at less than 100 percent with an achy back, he should’ve given more minutes to Brown. Big Ben only played 28 as it was finishing with only six points and seven boards (2 offensive). He tried his best which is why he’s so respected.

But here’s a question for Skiles. You’re team’s down by eight with a few minutes left in your season and has struggled offensively. What’s more important? Offense or defense? While it’s true you need stops at the defensive end, Wallace was basically a non-option at the offensive end making just two of eight free throws. Skiles could’ve gone to the younger and healthier Tyrus Thomas. Granted, the former LSU star wasn’t all that good tonight getting just two points, five rebounds and turning it over three times in 15 minutes. But maybe a lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Brown and Thomas might’ve given the Bulls more offense and still enough interior D to keep Detroit one and out.
Just saying.

In any event, it didn’t matter as the Pistons just never allowed the Bulls to even contemplate a Game 7. They did what champions do. They finally put their younger opponents away.

And now Detroit will await the winner of Cleveland-Nets. That one might go seven given how poorly the Cavs played the other night in a disappointing 83-72 Game 5 home loss which had fans booing Larry Hughes (dreadful 3-for-17) off the court and probably screaming other obscenities as well.

How bad was the fourth quarter? The Nets only scored six points including just one field goal by Vince Carter who oddly enough was more ball distributor (10 assists) than scorer (12 pts on only 11 shots). But due to Cleveland’s lackluster third quarter in which they were outscored 30-20, they were down by too much to mount a comeback scoring just 13 themselves in the lowest scoring fourth quarter you’ll ever see. That’s if you could actually watch.

The teams combined to miss something like the first 16 or 17 shots at one point. The Nets shot just 1-for-10 while the Cavs weren’t much better finishing 3-for-17 to fall in their first chance to reach an Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1992.

Remarkably, the Nets’ six points wasn’t the lowest ever output for a playoff game. That dubious honor went to the Blazers against Utah back on May 18, 1999.

How ugly was this game? The teams combined for 35 turnovers (Nets-17 including 8 from Jason Kidd, Cavs-18 including 5 from LeBron James). Ironically, both stars finished with almost identical lines:

Kidd wound up with 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks to go with his eight miscues. James finished with 20, nine boards, five assists, two steals and a block to go with his five turnovers.

The good news for Kidd was that he got enough support from Richard Jefferson (15 pts), Mikki Moore (14), Carter (12) and Bostjan Nachbar (13 including three trifectas) to help stave off elimination and send the series back to East Rutherford for Game Six Friday night.

LeBron wasn’t as fortunate. Only one other teammate finished with double digits. Big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas did his part by converting on six-of-eight from the field and all four free throws for 16 points.

The next most points came from Sasha Pavlovic and rookie Daniel Gibson who each had eight. Far from enough for the Cavs to prevail.

The Cavs will need Hughes to rebound and a bigger game from LeBron if they want to finish off the Nets.

They also could use something more from Donyell Marshall, who was an awful 0-for-7 and took some woeful shots. The ex-Uconn star looks like he’s been spending too much time at Dunkin’ Donuts and not the weight room.

Hopefully, he’ll be able to squeeze in some basketball soon or he might be off an NBA roster.

The Suns will also get Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw back for a must-win Game Six on the road at San Antonio after falling three short without them.

It all starts at 7 ET/4 PT later tonight with Cavs-Nets tipping off first on ESPN.