Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pistons: Fourth-Quarter Surge Propels Boston to 11th Victory in the Last 12 Games
The Celtics, led by 27 points from Jaylen Brown and 26 from Jayson Tatum, earned a 113-104 win over the Pistons Saturday, improving to 20-7 since New Year's Eve.
Boston, who's sixth in the East, is now 36-26 and half a game back of the fifth-place Cavaliers, who host the Wizards tonight, and 1.5 behind the third-seeded Sixers.
Here's an examination into what stood out from the Celtics' 11th win in their last 12 games.
Jayson Tatum Off to a Hot Start, Pistons' Offense Keeps Score Close in the First Half
The Celtics weren't particularly sharp to start the game -- blame it on tipping off at noon on a Saturday, even if they won't -- but Jayson Tatum had a strong showing as a scorer and facilitator in the first half. The three-time All-Star registered 17 points, including knocking down three of his six three-point attempts, and he took six free throws, converting on four of them. He also dished out six assists and grabbed seven rebounds.
Despite a well-rounded first half from Tatum, Boston entered the break only up by two, 56-54, as the Pistons continued to shoot well against a defense that had stymied nearly every other offense it faced dating back to New Year's Eve.
One wouldn't know that based exclusively on the first two quarters on Saturday, though, as Detroit shot 22/46 (47.8 percent) from the field, including 5/13 (38.5 percent) from beyond the arc. Celtics' killer Saddiq Bey had nine points, as did Cade Cunningham. Marvin Bagley III, rejuvenated since leaving Sacramento, chipped in eight.
Hamidou Diallo Gets Ejected
Midway through the second quarter, Hamidou Diallo got ejected for shoving an official on his way up the floor. Before that, Diallo was frustrated about the lack of a foul call following several of his shots.
As light as the contact was, that will automatically result in a technical, though tossing him seems excessive.
A couple of minutes later, there was an incident between Marcus Smart and Isaiah Stewart, as the former's box out led to a frustrated Stewart sending Smart to the ground, for which he picked up a technical. Interestingly enough, Smart got whistled for a loose-ball foul.
Boston Struggles to Contain Cade Cunningham in the Third Quarter
Cade Cunningham had a strong showing overall, but the top pick in the 2021 draft was at his best in the third frame. He consistently got into the paint, sending Boston's defense into scramble mode. The result was eight points from Cunningham, three coming in the restricted area, and orchestrating a Pistons' attack that produced 28 points in the period. Cunningham finished the game with a team-high 25 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
While the NBA's most recent No.1 overall pick had his way offensively, the Celtics' attempts to hunt mismatches, especially when working the ball into the low post, often led to less ball movement and off-ball activity. That resulted in the offense drying up and Boston scoring only 22 points in the third frame.
Celtics Surge Past Pistons in the Fourth Quarter
After a Killian Hayes dunk put the Pistons ahead 88-85 with 8:05 remaining, Boston outscored Detroit 28-16.
That surge started with a three by Payton Pritchard, a central figure in the Celtics seizing control of the game in the final 7:45, registering ten points and four assists, leading everyone in both categories in that span.
During that stretch, Boston shot 10/15 (66.7 percent) from the field, assisting on nine of those made field goals, and went 4/6 from beyond the arc (66.7 percent). The Celtics also produced ten points in the paint and ten off five Pistons turnovers. Conversely, Boston didn't turn the ball over once.
Taking care of the ball often led to points and forced Detroit's offense to operate in the half-court against a set defense. The lack of transition opportunities helped the Celtics limit Detroit to 5/12 (41.7 percent) shooting from the floor, including 1/4 (25 percent) from beyond the arc.
In total, they outscored the Pistons 35-22 in the final frame. A part of that was more effectively attacking mismatches. Doing so more on the perimeter and less from the low block allowed Tatum and Brown to utilize their advantages in size and athleticism against Cunningham and Cory Joseph. There were multiple occasions where Brown blew by the former.
Boston's performance down the stretch won't count towards its clutch-time record or statistics because the lead was more than five throughout the final five minutes, but that alone speaks to how well the Celtics played to close out this game.
Rising to the level Boston played at to take control of this game against the Pistons, who challenge the Celtics more than one would expect from a team that's now 14-46, speaks to Boston's maturation this season, becoming a mentally stronger team that handles adversity better than earlier in the campaign.
Up Next
The Celtics play the Pacers in Indiana on Sunday evening. The game tips off at 5:00 ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
Film Study: Marcus Smart's Stellar Two-Way Performance Against the Nets
What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Nets: Boston Looks Sharp in First Game Back from All-Star Break
Isaiah Thomas Ties a Record in His Return to the G League
The Trials, Tribulations, and Growth of Ime Udoka in His First Year as Celtics' Head Coach
Celtics Ownership Will Reportedly 'Take Steps' to Bring NBA All-Star Game to Boston
