BSJ Game Report: Celtics 111, Pistons 99 - Tatum finishes what White, Hauser started

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

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics came out and quickly built a 10-point lead, but they were missing at the rim a lot early and the Pistons mounted a comeback, even taking a brief lead to start the second. Derrick White and Sam Hauser were awesome in the first half, scoring 15 points each and helping to build a second 10-point lead. The Pistons cut that down as well and it settled at 7 at the half. The third belonged to Jayson Tatum, who caught fire to score 18, and head into the fourth up 18. The Pistons cut the lead down to 6 with Tatum off the floor in the fourth, but his return basically sealed it.  

Box Score 

HEADLINES

Tatum, the closer: He admitted to “stinking it up” in the first half, but he was dominant in the second. 22 points on 8-11 shooting, 18 of them in a third quarter where Boston built a 23-point lead. It’s a shame that they couldn't hold onto it and that the Pistons started to finally hit shots in the fourth, because it would have been great to save him those 8 minutes. 

Starting backcourt boost: With Marcus Smart out and Jaylen Brown a late scratch, Hauser and White combined for 30 first-half points. White continued his good play after the first whereas Hauser cooled off, but this was still an amazing boost to get on a shorthanded night.

Pistons are not good: They woke up and started hitting shots in the fourth, going 10-18 from the field and 4-7 from 3, but they were shooting 39% from the field and 19% from 3 through three quarters. Isaiah Stewart was one of Boston’s most important players, shooting 0-7 from deep. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Jalen Duren’s 5 offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, the lead going into the fourth could have easily been 30. 

TURNING POINT

The Pistons cut the lead to 97-91, but the Celtics answered with a 12-5 run to seal it. Tatum’s layup to cap that run was dominance at its finest. We don’t see this level of Tatum quite as often as we’d like, but when we do see it, it’s fun.

FOUR UP

Robert Williams: This is my unsung hero of this game. 15 points and 15 rebounds, 7 and 5 came in the fourth. He was everywhere, as usual, and I just don’t think this game goes anything like this if Williams didn’t play like he did tonight. Toss in 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block and it’s just another great night for Williams.

Jayson Tatum: I thought he did a good job of accepting the double teams in the fourth quarter and opening things up for everyone else down the stretch. The offense sputtered and the Pistons got hot, and then Tatum checked back in and it all basically ended, but he only scored 4 points in that stretch. He had 3 assists and there were a couple of hockey assists in there as well. 

Derrick White: One of his greatest skills is driving hard to the rim and slowing down just enough to let a defender get by him so he can get a clean look at the rim. He only hit a couple of 3-pointers but he had a few more 3-point plays to get to his 23 points. He was crafty in this one. Oh, he also did this: 

White had it all working. 

Sam Hauser: He cooled off in the second half, but some of the shots he was hitting in the first makes me feel like this will be a big confidence booster for him. 

ONE DOWN

Grant Williams: If his shoulder is still bothering him, then he should sit out now and rest it through the All-Star break. If the trade deadline is bugging him, then maybe we’ll see this poor stretch pass. Whatever it is, though, Williams needs to be honest about it and get past it. 

TOP PLAYS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- I loved starting Hauser

I tweeted before the game that I loved the move to start Hauser because it put him with the best players on the team and in a position to play off them and get some good looks. The move paid immediate dividends. 

“I thought he was great in the first half,” Joe Mazzulla said. “I just trust his work ethic and I trust his mindset. And so I thought it was a good opportunity for him to play and for us to kind of just get into a different flow on the offensive end. When he's in, our off-ball creativity is there, our after action is there, and our early offense spacing is there.”

He cooled off in the second half and I think he got a couple of tough whistles, but he was so dangerous in the first that he helped open things up for Tatum in the second half. 

And this is the point of a guy like Hauser. It’s always about getting him going early and making defenses respect him as a threat. Once they do that and have to make sure they're a step closer to Hauser, then Tatum can use that extra space to operate. 

I thought starting Hauser in that situation was a great move by Mazzulla and it paid off in a big way. 

Next up: The Celtics take on the Sixers Wednesday night at home on ESPN