Asked about his job security after the loss Friday night, Saunders said, "That's not a good question to answer right now? I'm sure that's something that (team president Joe Dumars) and I will sit down and evaluate."

There were no excuses being made in the Pistons locker room. Not this season, and forward Antonio McDyess said he wouldn't be surprised if Dumars reacts to the series lose by making big changes for next season.

"He probably will," McDyess said. "Because there is no more excuse on why we didn't go back to the Finals this year, and I'm pretty sure he sees that. We've played together for so long and just get to the Eastern Conference Finals and not come out with a championship. He's not blind and the fans are not blind."

All five starters are under contract for next season, as is Saunders, who has one more year on his deal.

CELTICS 89, PISTONS 81: A 10-point lead with 10 minutes to go disappeared in a matter of a few possessions Friday, and with it, the Pistons kissed another chance at the NBA Finals goodbye.

Their lead evaporated as Paul Pierce took over, the Celtics went on a quick run and the Pistons couldn't hold onto the ball. They committed six of their 16 turnovers in the fourth quarter, when they scored only 13 points.

"We had some good looks," coach Flip Saunders said. "Whether it was we ran out of juice in the fourth or whatever because we played at such a (high) energy level to get back into the game? it just got to a point where we couldn't make a big shot."

The Pistons had closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run, and they pushed their eight-point lead to 10 early in the fourth. At that point, the Palace was rocking and a deciding Game 7 back in Boston seemed a given.

But the Celtics zipped off a 10-0 run. That's when forward Rasheed Wallace, who struggled with four points and 10 rebounds, picked up his fifth foul early. He went to the bench, said something into a TV camera and threw a towel at it.

The Celtics didn't give momentum back. Forward Paul Pierce, who finished with 27, scored seven straight to begin an 11-2 run that put the Celtics up seven with 2:32 left.

The Pistons cut it to four but couldn't get closer. End of the season and maybe the end of their era.

"It's like we tease each other," said forward Antonio McDyess, who scored six points with six rebounds. "We tease our fans. We give them a good dose in the beginning and let them down at the end."

Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 29 points, and Richard Hamilton, who started after straining his elbow in Game 5, scored 21.