AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -Richard Hamilton says he will play for the Detroit Pistons against the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

After shooting Friday morning with the team, Hamilton said he had discomfort in his right elbow, but would play through it because the Pistons need to win to avoid elimination.

Detroit's leading scorer strained his right elbow in the final seconds of Boston's 106-102 win on Wednesday night.

Hamilton is averaging 21.7 points, seven more points than any teammate in the playoffs.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.