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What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. Pistons: Boston Takes Care of Business Early
The Celtics earned a 102-93 win over the Pistons on Friday night, in a game where the score isn't indicative of the decisive nature of Boston's victory.
The Celtics led wire-to-wire, building an advantage that grew as large as 24 points, and their starters got to rest in the fourth quarter.
The win is Boston's fourth-straight victory, representing its longest winning streak of the season. It also improves the Celtics' record to 29-25, and they now sit eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Here's what stood out from Boston's sixth win in seven games.
Celtics Hold the Pistons to 31 Points in the First Half
Without Cade Cunningham, Detroit struggled to find a reliable source of offense. Those 31 points came on 28.9 percent shooting from the field, including going 3/9 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc and producing only 10 points in the paint.
No one on the Pistons scored over five points in the first half. Jerami Grant and Saddiq Bey were their lone players who reached that figure.
Jayson Tatum Erupts in the Third Quarter
During the third quarter, the Pistons cut a 19-point deficit to 10, but the frame ultimately belonged to Jayson Tatum. The now three-time All-Star wing scored 19 of his 24 in that period. It's the most points he's scored in any quarter this season. With him leading the way, Boston grew its advantage to 22 going into the fourth.
Tatum did so on 7/13 shooting, including going 3/6 from three, and he threw down a pair of monster jams. He also grabbed four of his nine rebounds in the third frame.
Al Horford Temporarily Leaves the Game
Horford left the game midway through the third quarter because he was dealing with a sore right foot -- though he likely wouldn't have stayed in for much longer anyway.
The Celtics cleared Horford to return, but with the outcome never in doubt, it wasn't a difficult decision for Ime Udoka to hold him out for the remainder of the game.
Robert Williams Stars in His Role
Williams has consistently done that this season and Friday night was no different. He came one assist shy of registering a 5/5/5/5, producing 11 points on 5/5 shooting -- all at the rim -- a team-best 11 rebounds, a game-high five blocks, and four assists. Williams also earned the game's highest plus-minus rating, registering a +17.
Starters Get to Rest in the Final Frame
The final 4:04 got interesting. Udoka emptied the bench while Dwane Casey had no incentive to, which resulted in the Pistons cutting a 22-point deficit to seven, albeit with 20.6 seconds left.
However, Boston's regular rotation built enough cushion to get most, and in some cases, all of the fourth quarter off. Tatum, Horford, and Marcus Smart didn't play in the final frame. Jaylen Brown logged 6:31, and Robert Williams was only in for 2:30.
That rest is invaluable, and it kept Tatum's total minutes to 28, Smart's to 25, Horford's to 19, and Williams's to 32. Brown played 34, just about matching his average of 34.5, but he got the final 5:29 off.
Up Next
The Celtics travel to Orlando to take on the Magic on Sunday night. The game tips off at 6:00 EST. 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
Marcus Smart Reportedly a Trade Target for Minnesota Timberwolves
Utah Jazz Reportedly Interested in Acquiring Josh Richardson
Celtics Musings: Al Horford's Shot Selection, Rotation Tweaks, Talent vs. Record
Report Links Celtics to Jerami Grant
