BSJ Game Report: Boston Celtics 113, Detroit Pistons 104 - Late surge holds off pesky Pistons

Everything you need to know about the Boston Celtics win over the Detroit Pistons, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL 

The Celtics came out cold, but played with a good pace and kept up with hot-shooting Pistons. The fun ended in the second quarter, when the game devolved into a slog involving multiple reviews, a bizarre player ejection, and tons of foul calls. Cade Cunningham carried the Pistons to a big third quarter, but the Celtics clamped down mid-way through the fourth and closed strong to win their second straight game.

Box Score

HEADLINES

Celtics picked it up when they had to: I cannot emphasize enough how brutally ugly this game was. It was slow and plodding with zero flow. The officiating was all over the place. And in the past, the Celtics would have easily let themselves get too swept up in it to ever recover. This time, they turned it around and did what a good team is supposed to do when faced with a game like this. 

Payton Pritchard stepped up: Pritchard scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. He was huge, giving the Celtics a spark they needed when other guys didn’t have it. 

Pistons are tougher than their record shows: The Pistons continue to take the Celtics out of what they want to do. 

“They’re a physical group, first of all. That’s kind of their identity. Win or lose they play the same way,” Ime Udoka said. “Then they’re switching a lot at times and mixing up things, and when we make quick decisions against their switches we’re good - we have advantages there. Did the last game as well, but when we slow down and get stagnant because of their switching, it’s not as favorable for us. They have length and size and they’re a physical team. Credit to them. Their record isn’t indicative of the way they play. They make it hard on a lot of teams.”

TURNING POINT

Payton Pritchard hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 88 and trigger a 15-2 run capped by a Jayson Tatum 3-pointer where he turned and blew a kiss to the crowd. 

FOUR UP

Jayson Tatum: He came out hot, slinging some very fancy dimes for 5 first quarter assists. He tailed off as the whole squad started to isolate and go matchup hunting, but he finished strong with 7 fourth quarter points to cap off a 26 point, 11 rebounds, 6 assist afternoon. 

Payton Pritchard: Today is Payton day, for sure. He was not only hitting shots, he finished with 6 assists and was very clearly a sort of B-12 shot the Celtics desperately needed. 

Jaylen Brown: As the Celtics offense got dragged into the muck, Brown still found ways to score. He scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, shooting 7-13 from the field and 3-3 from the line. He only had 1 turnover.

Grant Williams: He made some tough plays and found ways to contribute even when he wasn’t making 3-pointers. He attacked closeouts and found teammates (3 assists) and got to the line (where he was 5-5). 

ONE DOWN

Derrick White: He just wasn’t himself out there. Part of the reason Pritchard got 27 minutes in this game was because White was having a bad afternoon. He still managed 3 assists, but they were negated by 3 turnovers. 

TOP PLAYS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER (And some instructions)

- The Celtics need to be better about falling into defensive traps

If I’m an opposing coach, especially one of Boston’s potential playoff opponents, I’m studying these last two Pistons games closely. 

While it’s nice that Boston snapped out of their funk late in the game, it would have been better if they’d never fallen into Detroit’s trap in the first place. They mixed zone and switching to confuse the Celtics and draw them into the mismatch-hunting.

This is catnip for guys like Tatum and Brown, because they can feel like they're passing the ball and moving it while also getting back into their isolation habits. It’s very easy to draw them into that if the Celtics aren’t careful. 

I think it’s both on the players and the coaches to recognize this weakness and put in some actions that involve, at least, more emphasized slips and post-up with cutters behind them. They need to do something to counteract the urge to isolate quite as much. 

The playoffs will require more isolation as it is. Defenses are tougher and the stars have to shine in the postseason, but the Celtics still want to stave off as much of the iso as possible. If they can fold in at least a few playcalls that emphasize certain counters to the switching, then they’ll be better for it. 

- Here’s everyone’s rooting interests tonight: 

Washington vs. Cleveland - Go Wizards! A Cavs loss drops them into a tie with Boston

Brooklyn vs. Milwaukee - Go Nets! A Bucks loss would put Boston just a half game out of fourth in the East. 

Toronto vs Atlanta - Go Hawks! Any added space between Boston and Toronto, which now trails the Celtics by two games, is welcome. Atlanta is now 6.5 games back of Boston. 

San Antonio vs. Miami - Go Spurs! The Heat lead the East, so let’s close the gap a little. 

Memphis vs. Chicago - Go Grizzlies! Chicago is tied with Miami, so let’s see them both lose and have Boston be 3.5 games out first!

It’s possible we could wake up tomorrow to 3.5 games separating the top six teams in the East.