Boston Celtics Defeat Detroit Pistons 117-108
The Pistons faced off against the Boston Celtics twice in the past four days, and despite the loss of Cade Cunningham, Dwayne Casey's game plan and adjustments made a significant difference. In the previous matchup, Detroit lost by 16 points in what seemed to be a blowout by the fourth quarter. Tonight was a far tighter affair, and if not for Jayson Tatum's 43-point performance, this could have been a game.
Jayson Tatum's Outburst
Simply put, he was a man amongst boys tonight - ask Jaden Ivey. A skillful showcase of why he deserves to be in the top-ten conversation, riding consecutive scoring clinics. He had no problem getting to his spots and letting his shots fly on all three levels, shooting 14-28 from the field and 7-15 from three-point land. Tatum is a bonified superstar in this league and has undoubtedly taken the next step in his career.
Jaden Ivey's Uprising
In Cade's absence, Ivey has and will see an increase in volume and role. The newly instated quarterback of the Piston's offense started hot and maintained his high level of play to eclipse his career-high - now 26 points. His broken shot has worried Pistons fans, and for good reason. However, Ivey shot 100% from three by half and finished 4-6. He zipped around the court effortlessly and made smart decisions with the basketball - displaying the maturity and experience of a 3rd or 4th-year player.
He did have his coveted but unfortunate "welcome-to-the-league" moment tonight, but that had little to no effect on his confidence. His adjustment to the league is slowly becoming a reality, and his hard work is not going unnoticed. With Cade's injury possibly keeping him off the court for an extended period, this opens up the opportunity for Ivey to continue to develop when thrown into a more significant role.
