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Winners of two consecutive video games after a fruitful mini-road journey in opposition to the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies, the Boston Celtics returned residence to TD Backyard to face down an unlikely form of boogeyman. Final season set the precedent that the Detroit Pistons have been going to be a much bigger problem to the Celtics than the 2 groups’ information may recommend. Regardless of Detroit ending simply 1-3 in opposition to Boston within the season sequence, none of their 4 matchups might be described as a blowout, with the biggest margin of victory being simply 11 of their closing matchup on March 11. These Pistons had their A-game in opposition to the Celtics all season lengthy.
Whereas the Pistons introduced related battle on Wednesday night time, the last word consequence featured far much less drama. The Celtics overcame a chippy Detroit effort and an damage to Malcolm Brogdon to glide to a 128-112 win over the Pistons.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been their usually glorious selves, with the previous shrugging off a sluggish first half to complete with 31 factors on 10-of-20 taking pictures and the latter offering a gradual 30 factors on 11-of-19. Moreover, Sam Hauser continued his latest scorching streak with 24 factors (six made threes), whereas Marcus Sensible added his third consecutive sport with double-digit assists (11). It was greater than sufficient to beat a scorching night time from Detroit rookie Jaden Ivey (19 factors, 10 rebounds, 6 assists), 17 factors from Bojan Bogdanovic, and a shock 16-point efficiency from teen Killian Hayes to return away with the win.
The Celtics switched up their beginning lineup (sans-Robert Williams III) in opposition to Memphis, they usually continued that technique tonight, with Grant Williams beginning instead of Derrick White. The bigger lineup proved to be stout on each ends of the court docket from the opening tip. They kicked off the sport on a 12-4 run, splashing a trio of early threes on the offensive finish whereas holding the Pistons to only 1-of-13 taking pictures from the sector on the defensive within the early going.
The bigger lineup didn’t repay on the glass, nevertheless. The Pistons cashed in on seven offensive rebounds within the first quarter, permitting them to over come their brutal scoring efficiency. Regardless of taking pictures practically twice in addition to Detroit from the sector, percentage-wise, the Pistons’ second (generally third) probability factors allowed them to remain inside arm’s attain. The Celtics led by eight getting into the second quarter, 29-21.
The pattern of robust Pistons performances in opposition to the Celtics has clearly continued into the brand new season, because the younger Pistons fought their manner again from their sluggish first quarter, scoring-wise, to attract inside 4 factors early within the second. They ran right into a snag, nevertheless — a brand new variable that wasn’t within the equation final season — Sam Hauser. Boston’s blazing scorching reserve wing linked on 4 pictures — together with two threes — en path to a 10-point second quarter, and the surge helped the Celtics construct a 14-point lead on the half, 63-49.
Popping out of the halftime break, information got here down that Brogdon, who had gone into the locker room late within the second quarter with an damage, would miss the rest of the sport with reported hamstring tightness. Additional complicating the scenario, Williams discovered his manner into foul hassle because the third quarter progressed, selecting up his fourth foul nearly midway via the body. The Boston rotation stretched skinny fairly shortly.
Regardless of the absences, nevertheless, the Celtics managed to maintain ahold of the reins because the second half obtained began. Tatum shrugged off a sluggish begin to hit 4 threes and rating 16 within the third quarter, and Hauser added a pair extra impactful triples of his personal, and the Pistons couldn’t muster fairly sufficient momentum to achieve any floor. Coming into the ultimate quarter, the Boston lead ticked forward to 16, 95-79.
The fourth quarter introduced little in the way in which of surprises. The 2 groups traded buckets nearly evenly, preserving a cushty Boston lead, and a flagrant foul from Isaiah Livers on a Tatum three-point try gave the impression to be the straw that broke the camel’s again. Tatum transformed on all three of his free throw makes an attempt, and Horford scored a put-back layup on the following possession to place the sport absolutely in Boston’s pocket.
Subsequent up, the Celtics will play host to their second Western Convention opponent of the season, because the Denver Nuggets come to city for a Friday night time matchup at 7 PM EST on NBA TV.
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