BSJ Game Report: Detroit Pistons 112, Boston Celtics 111 - Streak snapped and C's enter break with sour taste in their mouths

Everything you need to know about the Boston Celtics' loss to the Detroit Pistons with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics were locked in a battle from the beginning, going back and forth with the Pistons the whole game. Every time the Celtics put a couple of buckets together, the Pistons would answer. Boston looked like they’d take control early in the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run, but the Pistons answered. The Celtics did have a chance to win it, but Jayson Tatum missed a last-second shot.

Box Score

HEADLINES

Pistons came to play: This is definitely a game where you have to give credit to the opponent. There were pregame jokes that Detroit was ready to roll into the All-Star break and be done with things. 

That was NOT the case.

The Pistons were tough all night long, beating the Celtics on the boards and making all the energy plays. The Celtics didn’t defend like they have been, the Pistons got their confidence early, and they carried it through to the end.

“That was the game plan for them, they were going to try to make it a physical game, and they did,” Jaylen Brown said. “The refs let a lot of things go tonight and allowed them to play to their strengths, and they took advantage. … Tonight was a challenge for us to do so with some of our more physical guys out, Smart and Rob, and they definitely took advantage tonight.”

A reminder of what not to do: I’m not sure how the Celtics managed 29 assists in this game because it felt very iso-heavy. Boston made a lot of mistakes similar to their pre-streak days. They gave plenty of effort, but a lot of it wasn’t the right effort. 

Trap game trapped ‘em: As I said in the preview -- “It’s a back-to-back after a big win over a rival on national TV, the All-Star break starts tomorrow, and you’re facing the worst team in the NBA. 

This has letdown written all over it.”

Ime Udoka knew it too. He said before the game, unprompted, “We have to come in tonight focused. Put yesterday and tomorrow behind us and not look forward. And continue with the momentum and doing the things we’ve done well. So that’s the message to the guys.”

They didn’t do that, and it cost them.

TURNING POINT

The Celtics went on that 13-0 run and it looked like they were in control, but the Pistons wouldn’t quit. They outscored Boston 20-12 down the stretch. The killer shot -- the one where you just knew it wasn’t happening, was Saddiq Bey’s 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and make it 108-106 Boston. That was the start of a 9-3 run to end the game.

THREE UP

Grant Williams: He was living in his corner office in this one, hitting 4-7 from deep and 6-11 overall. I’ll dig a little deeper on Grant over the break because he’s been a big part of Boston’s success this season. 

Al Horford: He hit a huge corner 3-pointer to make it 111-108, and he did it after some stellar defense on Cade Cunningham for an entire possession. I thought maybe Horford was going to bail the guys out and that they’d find a way to finish strong over the last :32 of the game. They clearly didn't, but Horford was one of the main reasons they were still in this game. He led the team with 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

Jaylen Brown: The numbers look really good: 31 points on 12-21 shooting, 3-6 from 3, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, and a steal. He had it working for stretches, but for all his statistical success, I’m not going to say he had a great game. He made some critical mistakes, including losing Bey on a putback with :43 to go in a tie game, and he forced a drive and got blocked at the rim with 12 seconds left. 

ONE DOWN 

Derrick White: He didn’t really have a bad game, necessarily, but it’s hard to ignore 3-10 and 1-6 shooting and some shots that he might have been too quick on the trigger. He did have 6 assists and he made a couple of big defensive plays. Down might be too harsh for him in this game, but I’m sticking with it.

TOP PLAYS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This team needs to be whole to be good. 

This analogy is for the old folks like me in the room…

Remember when we were kids and we had to try to tune in a signal on the TV with one of these rabbit ear antennas? We’d fiddle with the dial and move the ears until it got just right. Sometimes it would only work if you were actually touching and holding one of those rods. It would only work if everything … was … just … right …

That's what this Celtics team is. 

Dial everything in, with a full squad and everyone in their normal roles and this picture is as clear as day. You could watch a whole Creature Double Feature without getting up with a picture that clear. 

Take one guy away though? Then it gets a little rough. Maybe they can get by a little better when Daniel Theis is ready to play a full game or when Derrick White is a little more acclimated, but they still need to be whole to be right. 

I wouldn’t have thought they would have needed Marcus Smart and Robert Williams to beat the Pistons, but those two guys especially would have helped change things with their energy and ability to punish the Detroit defense. Williams is especially important to this offense because it gives Tatum and Brown the ultimate outlet when defenders step up on their drives. Smart’s energy on a night where guys were half-assing their way through things might have given them enough of a boost to win this game. 

And to answer the comment you’re yelling at your screen, yes, Tatum and Brown should be enough to beat this Pistons team. But also, sometimes, the Pistons just play well. They're now 7-26 against teams .500 and above. They have more wins against winning teams (7) than they do against losing teams (6). So it happens. And the Jays aren’t going to have it every night. That's what a team is for. 

This team needs everyone to guard against nights like this. There is enough on this roster to make up for off nights or low-energy. When they have everybody, things work. When they don’t, they just don’t have the depth right now to make up for it. 

That's up to Brad Stevens to fix.