In a matchup that felt way more like Could than January, the Pistons outlasted the Celtics 104–103 on Monday night time at Little Caesars Enviornment, surviving a closing Jaylen Brown jumper that fell simply quick on the buzzer.
The Celtics jumped out to an early 16–8 lead behind Brown’s scoring and powerful defensive exercise, however the momentum didn’t final lengthy. Jalen Duren scored seven straight factors to halt the run, setting the tone for what turned a bruising night time within the paint.
With 4 minutes remaining within the quarter, the sport’s depth boiled over. Thirty seconds after Isaiah Stewart checked in, he and Jaylen Brown have been assessed double technical fouls following a quick altercation, punctuating an already bodily opening quarter.
Boston closed the primary with a slender 29–26 benefit, however the warning indicators have been there.
Detroit seized management within the second, outscoring Boston 33–22 and flipping the sport with defensive playmaking and physicality. Rim safety and exercise disrupted Boston’s offensive rhythm, forcing turnovers that the Pistons persistently capitalized on. Detroit scored 19 factors off Boston’s 14 turnovers.
Brown carried the scoring, whereas contributions got here in waves from others. 5 Celtics reached double figures, however Boston struggled to generate constant offense towards the NBA’s No. 2 protection. The Pistons’ defensive stress, highlighted by emphatic blocks on the rim from Stewart and Cade Cunningham, helped construct their confidence heading into the break.
Boston made its push popping out of halftime. A pair of Sam Hauser three-pointers and a brief jumper trimmed the Pistons’ result in one early within the third, injecting life again into the sport.
Payton Pritchard supplied a wanted spark, scoring 10 factors within the quarter to maintain the Celtics inside putting distance as Detroit leaned on sizzling taking pictures from Duncan Robinson and Tobias Harris to keep up its edge.
The sport settled right into a possession-by-possession battle from there.
The fourth quarter mirrored the remainder of the night time — bodily, tense, and tightly contested. Boston had probabilities to take management and answered simply sufficient to maintain their hopes alive. Finally, a communication breakdown on a Tobias Harris three-pointer and a pair of missed free throws from Brown proved to be the distinction.
Down one within the closing moments, the Celtics put the ball in Brown’s fingers for a possible game-winner. His jumper was off the mark, and Detroit escaped with the one-point victory.
The Celtics confirmed struggle and resilience, however the Pistons’ second-quarter surge and defensive connectivity proved decisive. Brown led Boston’s scoring effort with 32 factors, and performed a big half in Cade Cunningham’s quiet 16-point outing. Tobias Harris’ 25 factors, Jalen Duren’s 18 factors and 9 rebounds, and Duncan Robinson’s 5 three-pointers elevated the Pistons simply out of the Celtics’ attain.
Payton Pritchard chipped in 17 factors, whereas Sam Hauser put collectively one other strong night time with 16 factors on 4 made threes. Derrick White’s 1-for-11 outing was troublesome to dismiss in a sport the place each side have been trying to find manufacturing.
This one got here right down to margins — a missed shot, poor ball safety, and missed free throws. Detroit flexed their muscle mass defensively, and dealt with these moments only a bit higher.
The Celtics head again dwelling for a rematch towards the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, a staff they dropped a detailed one to as effectively only a week in the past.
