Detroit pulled out a 91-78 home win over Miami to prevent the Heat reaching their first NBA finals.
Miami now lead the Eastern Conference title-deciding series 3-2, with game six to come in Florida on Friday.
Tayshaun Prince topped the scoring for the Pistons with a play-off career-high 29 points, while Chauncey Billups added 17 points with 10 assists.
Miami's Dwyane Wade, who had averaged 31 points in the series, was limited by some tenacious Pistons defence to 23.
He was the only Heat player apart from centre Shaquille O'Neal to score in the fourth quarter.
Miami scored on only two of their final 10 field goal attempts en route to just 13 fourth-quarter points.
"They (Detroit) took their defence up to another level and it was very intense," admitted Miami coach Pat Riley.
Wade, however, remains confident of a Miami victory in the series.
"There's no pressure on us at all," he said. "We don't look at this as pressure. We've got a golden opportunity to win game six at home."
Pistons coach Flip Saunders was delighted with his team's recovery after some poor performances.
"I told our guys prior to the game, we've been in a funk here for two weeks - it's time to get out of it and start playing."