Celtics earn dramatic win over Pistons, 117-114

It’s been a long time since the Boston Celtics played the role of the underdog. 

In the first weekday afternoon game this century for the Celtics, they did just that, snapping the Detroit Pistons 13-game win streak. 

Without their starting center in Neemias Queta and going against a team that traditionally dominates the glass, Boston was going to need all the threes and scoring it could get. 

And it got just that. 

The Celtics, led by a vintage 27 point, 7 rebound performance by Derrick White, knocked down 20 triples to hand the Pistons their first loss since October. 

Jaylen Brown also contributed 33 points and 10 rebounds to help give Boston its signature win of the season. 

Early in the first half, Boston looked like a team that was going against a team on a different level than it. Detroit raced out to a 26-16 first quarter lead as Cade Cunningham had complete control of the parquet with nine quick points. 

With the Pistons star carrying the load, the Celtics star was having some trouble getting going in the Wednesday matinee. Brown started the game 1-for-8 from the field, but was able to get to the line six times to end the opening frame with seven points. 

Boston as a whole was only able to muster a 30% shooting percentage in the first quarter, but an unlikely bench player started to heat things up inside the Garden. 

Baylor Schierman sparked a great second quarter effort, knocking down three triples and even finding a rhythm in the midrange with a couple of buckets to turn the tide. The Creighton product even got a little dirty, hustling to a loose ball and flipping an outlet pass out to Josh Minott — who was ultimately rejected at the rim.  

After the slow start, Brown really started to get going in the second, scoring 13 points in the frame to retake the lead for the Celtics. The forward finished the half with 19 points on 6-for-18 shooting from the floor. 

While some hot shooting allowed Boston back into the game, Detroit still had a firm grasp on the boards, out-rebounding the Cs, 33-22. Jalen Duren was a physical presence on the glass with 13 first-half rebounds. 

The Pistons as a whole feasted inside the paint as they finished the first 24 minutes with 26 points in the paint compared to Boston’s 10. 

Boston carried over its hot shooting into the third quarter as it went head-to-head with the Eastern Conference's best. After struggling to find his rhythm so far this season, it seemed White finally unlocked something in the third. 

White laced three triples in the quarter, finishing with 14 points to give the Celtics a three-point lead going down the stretch. Despite the hot shooting, Cunningham continued to show he’s growing into his superstar role, keeping pace with Boston with 25 points through 36 minutes. 

Boston was going to need to be effective from three-point lead to probably hang around with Detroit, and as Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons both connected on long bombs to open the fourth, the Cs ran out to a 92-85 lead.   

White continued to look like his old self in the final minutes as he knocked down three more triples to finish with six in the second half. 

But his biggest play, as usual, came on the defensive end. With under 20 seconds remaining and up one, White sat at the hip of Cunningham, poking the ball loose and off the guard out of bounds to ignite the Garden. 

A pair of White and Simons free throws nearly sealed things up, but Cunningham played into some late game dramatics. The Piston baited Jordan Walsh into a shooting foul at half court to get to the line with three free throws and an opportunity to tie the game. 

As Cunningham lined up for his third and game-tying free throw he was 14-for-15 from the charity stripe. Fortunately for the Cs he couldn’t connect on his 15th, which bounced off the rim and into the hands of Pritchard.  

Boston will be back in action against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.