Celtics
Pistons erase a 22-point deficit with a second-half surge to beat Celtics
The Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 121-113 at Little Caesars Arena after trailing 58-45 at halftime. Detroit scored 37 points in the third quarter and 39 in the fourth, and won the boards 59-45 and the free throw line 28/32 to 16/21. The Pistons are 2-0 and second in the East, and the Celtics are 1-1 and sixth.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 10 h ago01The story of the nightThe turning pointBoston controlled the first half.
Boston controlled the first half. The Celtics scored 28 and 30 in the first two quarters, held Detroit to 18 in the second, and led 58-45 at the break. Their biggest lead reached 22. Then the game flipped. Detroit put up 37 points in the third quarter and cut the score to 88-82 going into the fourth. The Pistons kept going with 39 in the final period while Boston managed 25. The lead changed hands 16 times, but Detroit's biggest lead was 13. That came late, when the Celtics had no answer.
02Top performersPaul George was the best player on the floor.
Paul George was the best player on the floor. He scored 38 points on 12/21 shooting, hit 7/12 from three and had 5 steals in 30.6 minutes. Detroit answered with balance. Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 8 assists on 8/18 shooting, but he also had 5 turnovers. Jalen Duren added 22 points and 9 rebounds on 8/13 from the field. Duncan Robinson scored 21 and made 5/9 threes. Javonte Green came off the bench for 19 points, hit 5/8 from deep and finished +21, the best mark in the game.
03Where it was wonDetroit won this inside and at the line.
Detroit won this inside and at the line. The Pistons outscored Boston 44-34 in the paint and 17-11 on the fast break. They outrebounded the Celtics 59-45. Ausar Thompson grabbed 11 boards and Duren grabbed 9. Detroit also went 28/32 at the free throw line, while Boston went 16/21. The shooting from the field was nearly even, 39/86 for Detroit and 40/88 for Boston. Boston won the turnover battle. Detroit gave the ball away 17 times, and the Celtics scored 21 points off those mistakes. Boston's bench also outscored Detroit's 41-39.
04Tatum's rough nightJayson Tatum had a hard night as a shooter.
Jayson Tatum had a hard night as a shooter. He went 6/23 from the field and 0/7 from three for 13 points in 37.8 minutes. He still moved the ball well and finished with 11 assists. Derrick White added 17 points and 8 assists but had 4 turnovers. Payton Pritchard scored 17 off the bench and went 7/8 at the line. Sam Hauser hit 3/5 from three for 11 points. Boston made 17/42 threes as a team. With Tatum missing so many shots, George's 38 points weren't enough.
05What it meansDetroit is 2-0 and second in the East.
Detroit is 2-0 and second in the East. The Pistons showed they can come from a big deficit by pounding the paint and getting to the line. Their bench helped too, with Green, Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed all producing. Boston drops to 1-1 and sixth in the East. The Celtics led for most of the first half and then got outscored badly after the break. They lost the rebounding battle by a wide margin and couldn't keep Detroit off the free throw line. That needs to change.
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