Bird Shocks Pistons, 108-107

Larry Bird stole an inbounds pass and fed Dennis Johnson for the winning lay-up with one second left, giving the Boston Celtics a 108-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons last night and a 3-2 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference final.

Isiah Thomas had put Detroit ahead, 107-106, with a jumper from the foul line with 17 seconds remaining. Bird then missed a shot with four seconds to go, and the ball went out of bounds off Boston's Jerry Sichting.

Thomas attempted to throw the ball in from the sideline to Bill Laimbeer under the Boston basket, but Bird raced in to steal it and passed the ball to Johnson, who was flashing to the basket.

Boston, trying to reach the final round for the fourth straight year, can do so by winning Game 6 tomorrow night in Pontiac, Mich. The winner of the series will face the Los Angeles Lakers, who swept Seattle to win the Western Conference.

Boston, which won for the 35th time in the last 36 games at Boston Garden, was led by Bird with 36 points, Kevin McHale with 20 and Johnson with 18.

Detroit, winless in its last 17 games at the Garden since winning on Dec. 19, 1982, was led by Adrian Dantley with 25 points, Vinnie Johnson with 18 and Thomas with 17.

Boston center Robert Parish left the game when he aggravated a sprained left ankle with 3:41 to go. Vinnie Johnson then hit a long jumper that put Detroit in front, 99-95, with 3:05 remaining. But Darren Daye hit a three-point play and made two free throws that gave Boston a 100-99 lead with 2:39 to go and began an 11-4 surge.