Detroit Pistons Escape Boston Celtics To Win Third Straight In MLK Day Thriller
In one of the more intriguing games on MLK Day in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons pulled out a narrow 104-103 victory over the surging Boston Celtics to clinch their 31st win of the season and their third straight victory.
Pistons Get Production From Everyone In Win
It was a collective effort in the win for the Pistons, as Detroit saw all of its players contribute in one way or another throughout the night. Much of that production came in part to the playmaking abilities of Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham, who was dropping dimes all over the floor.
The recently announced All-Star starter nabbed 14 assists as Cunningham operated the Pistons’ offense at a steady pace against a stout Celtics defense all night. The Pistons finished the game with 24 assists on 38 made shots while only committing 8 turnovers. Every player on the Pistons finished the game with at least one basket made in a great showing of both offensive efficiency and teamwork.
Speaking of the contributions by other Pistons players, it was a great night for both Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren, who both led the way in scoring for Detroit. Harris finished with a team-high 25 points, with three of those points coming on a deep shot to put the Pistons ahead by 5 points in the final minute to ice the win. Duren finished with a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds as he dominated the paint on both ends of the floor for Detroit.
Jaylen Brown Continues Career Season Despite the Loss
In a season that was widely viewed as a rebuild year for the Celtics, the MVP-like performances on a nightly basis by Jaylen Brown have seemingly made Boston a bit of a surprise team. The four-time All-Star dropped a game-high 32 points and 11 rebounds as Brown scorched the Pistons’ defense down the stretch in a heroic effort.
The Celtics would also see other players like Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard contribute. Hauser finished with 16 points as the sharpshooter continued his red-hot shooting by raining in 4 threes to boot. Pritchard dropped 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in a nice all-around performance.
That would be where the offensive production would end for the Celtics, as they only shot 39% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc for the game. It was a rough night for some of the other key Celtics players, like Derrick White and Anfernee Simons. The duo combined for just 13 points on 5-of-22 shooting from the field and 1-of-12 from three-point range.
Eastern Conference Standings Following the Game
Following the game, there was little movement in the Eastern Conference standings, as both teams remained firmly in first and second place positions coming into the game. The win for the Pistons gave them some breathing room as they increased their lead over the second-place Celtics to 6 games, while also keeping pace with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the league this season.
While the loss makes the climb to first place in the East a bit longer for the Celtics, they still sit in a fairly comfortable position despite the loss. After the New York Knicks continued their recent slump in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics now hold a two-game lead over New York for the second seed.
