Top moments in Palace of Auburn Hills history: No. 5

With the Detroit Pistons' final game played this week at the Palace, we're counting down the top moments in arena history.Check out the other top moments: Nos. 6-20 

No. 5: Sept. 16, 2003

Shock goes from worst to first

Bill Laimbeer took over as coach in June and predicted the Detroit Shock would go from a WNBA-worst 9-23 record in 2002 to becoming WNBA champions in 2003.

The Bad Boy made good on his prediction.

He remodeled the team through the draft and trades and the Shock beat the Los Angeles Sparks in the deciding Game 3, 83-78, before a WNBA Finals record crowd of 22,076 at the Palace.

"As the year went on they adapted Bill's personality,” team president Tom Wilson said. “He has so much confidence in this team and their ability that they started to believe as well. They all got two inches taller as the year went on.”

They need the extra height to slay the mighty two-time defending champion Sparks. The Shock had a great regular season, going 25-9 and clinching the top playoff seed by seven games. But in Game 1 of the Finals in L.A., they lost, 75-63.

The Shock returned to the Palace for Game 2 and staved off elimination with Deanna Nolan’s two free throws with 12 seconds left in a 62-61 win.

In Game 3, a wild and raucous crowd chanted “Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!” Finals MVP Ruth Riley scored a career-best 27 points as the Shock lived up to its name.

"I still don't even know what happened," said a stunned Riley, wearing a championship hat and shirt, holding a bottle of champagne in the alcohol-soaked locker room.