The Celtics looked like they were going to dominate the Pistons early. But Detroit hung around, putting pressure on Boston to execute down the stretch. That‘s exactly what the Celtics did, coming away with the 124-118 win over the Pistons on Saturday in Detroit. The C’s are now a perfect 3-0 on the season while the Pistons fell to 0-3.
While the Pistons came to play early, the Celtics’ early 3-point shooting was overwhelming. At halftime, they shot 16-for-32 from beyond the arc in a similar performance like the Knicks win to open the season. When the C’s had their 23-point lead in the second quarter, it looked like it was going to be a repeat of the first two games of the season.
But the Pistons refused to go down easily. Detroit went on an 18-6 run to end the first half, cutting into that lead to make it at least manageable before the break. Then the Pistons offense — powered by points in the paint and the fast break — had the lead midway through the fourth quarter. But the Celtics defended their way to the victory, finding a way to get the win.
Jayson Tatum led the way with 36 points on 6-for-13 3-point shooting, his second game already this season with 35-plus points. Payton Pritchard poured in 19 points off the bench, doing most of his damage in the first half. Jaylen Brown added another 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jaden Ivey had 26 points for the Pistons while Cade Cunningham had 21 points and 11 assists.
The Celtics return home for another matchup against an East rival, this time facing the Bucks at 7:30 p.m. Monday at TD Garden. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Detroit:
Clutch game reps: The Celtics were dominant in their first two games, putting together two blowouts. But Saturday was a different test: a close game. It was, of course, bound to happen this season as the Pistons kept pace with the reigning champs despite being on the second leg of a back-to-back. Big man Luke Kornet played a bulk of the fourth quarter before subbing out for Al Horford to close out the game. While the Pistons generated some solid looks all game, the C‘s defense stepped up down the stretch. The C’s had multiple blocks and deflections as they upped their intensity. That allowed the Celtics to come away with the win, finishing the game on an 18-6 run. The Pistons managed just six points in the final 5:12 of the game.
Blistering start: Tatum‘s tear to start the season added another great game Saturday. Tatum was red-hot in the first half, scoring 22 points on 5-for-10 3-point shooting. It’s clear the tweaked jumper — at least early on — has paid off for the All-NBA forward as he’s shooting with confidence. Tatum’s scoring was what the Celtics needed Saturday as they clawed their way to the win.
