Celtics’ winning streak snapped at hands of lowly Pistons
If you wondered who was going to stop the red-hot Celtics, it turned out to be one of the worst teams in the NBA.
The Detroit Pistons snapped two streaks on Wednesday night, their own eight-game losing streak and the Celtics’ nine-game winning streak, with a 112-111 victory at TD Garden. Detroit improved to 13-45 on the season and still sit at 14th in the Eastern Conference. Boston, meanwhile, entered Wednesday’s game having won their last nine games by an average margin of 20.8 points, making the loss all the more shocking.
The C’s could never build a lead of more than eight points on the night. That eight-point lead came with just 4:25 left in the fourth quarter. The Pistons went on a 14-5 run from that point on to edge out the upset win.
Forward Jerami Grant keyed the late comeback for the Pistons, with nine points, one assist, and a steal in the final four minutes. Grant’s midrange bucket with 19.6 seconds remaining proved to be the game-winner.
Celtics trade deadline addition Derrick White stole the inbound pass with six seconds left, but Jayson Tatum missed his final shot as time expired to close out the defeat. Tatum finished with 22 points. Neither he nor Jaylen Brown, who led the team with 31 points, scored in the final 2:44 of regulation.
Up Next: The Celtics now get the next week off for the All-Star break, then return on Thursday, Feb. 24 on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].