The Detroit Pistons beat the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics 117-97 on Wednesday, February 26th. This marks eight straight victories for Detroit, their longest win streak since the 2007-2008 season.
Malik Beasley led the Pistons in scoring with 26, as All-Star Cade Cunningham added 21 and 11 assists. The Pistons outmuscled the Celtics on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 51-32, with Detroit’s offensive rebounding adding 15 second chance points to Boston’s 9. Detroit controlled the pace of the game in transition, leading the Celtics 29-8 on fast breaks.
The Boston Celtics, who were without Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, struggled to keep up with the Pistons, despite hitting 21 three-pointers in the game. Jayson Tatum led both teams in scoring with 27, as the Celtics ended their own six-game winning streak. Derrick White and Peyton Prichard added 18 apiece, as the only Celtics along with Tatum to score over 15.
The first half saw the Pistons jump to an early lead, where the team got into transition and kept a double-digit lead for a substantial time before nine straight Celtic threes erased the Pistons lead, and the two went into the half tied at 55. Detroit would take over defensively in the second half, holding the Celtics to 42 second-half points, led by 5 steals from Ausar Thompson. The Pistons entered the paint at will and in transition, where they finally put the Celtics away, also ending a 12-game losing streak against the Green team.
This win is a monumental moment for the Pistons, who have been tasked with exorcising a number of demons plaguing the franchise. This eight game winning streak is the longest the team has seen since 2008, when the franchise was a perennial Conference Finals contender behind Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons, who are currently 33-26, have more than doubled their win total from last season’s 14-68 record under former head coach Monty Williams, have completely shifted from joke to a competent playoff team.
The 42-17 Celtics are likely to shrug the loss off, as their goals are set firmly in contending, as the Celtics look to win their first back-to-back championships since 1969. The heavyweights aren’t looking to win every game, but the team will be more locked in come playoffs, when the true battle begins for them. The Celtics are comfortable with losing a few regular season games, as long as they stay a higher seed in the NBA playoff picture.
The Pistons will go on to face the Denver Nuggets this Friday at home, as the Boston Celtics will face the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
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