Celtics-Pistons takeaways: C’s survive 23-point comeback to remain undefeated originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
What you need to know
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Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 37 points for the second time in three games.
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The Celtics led by as many as 23 points and held off a late Pistons surge in the second half.
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Jrue Holiday made a timely impact with consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
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The Celtics return to action next Monday at 7:30 PM ET against the Bucks at TD Garden.
The Boston Celtics remained undefeated on Saturday night, beating the Detroit Pistons 124-118 on the road after blowing a 23-point lead.
Boston got off to another hot start, beating Detroit 42-31 after Jayson Tatum’s quick burst. Al Horford also got going early from multiple scoring levels.
It was 73-62 at halftime, with Tatum’s 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting (5-for-10 from long range) leading the way. Horford added 17 points on 5-for-8 3-point shooting, while Jaylen Brown scored 14 points. Payton Pritchard made a significant impact off the bench with 16 points on 4-of-6 3-point shooting.
Boston led by 23 points five minutes into the second quarter, but Detroit used a sensational run to lead 88-86 late in the third, its first advantage of the game.
The Celtics managed to hold on at 94-93 to end the third, but it was far from pretty as the hot shooting dried up. Brown in particular struggled to find his footing, shooting at a 6-for-20 clip and Jrue Holiday yet to make a field goal.
But after trailing 112-106 in the fourth, Boston found a way through Holiday and made the late free throw game to remain undefeated at 3-0. Detroit, led by Jaden Ivey’s efficient 26 points, fell to 0-3 despite better impact from the bench.
With the Milwaukee Bucks next on Monday, here are three takeaways from the Celtics’ win over the Pistons:
Jayson Tatum equals his season high and continues his good form
Tatum is on pace to open the 2024-25 season, recording totals of 37 and 25 points in each of the last two games.
He matched his season-high of 37 in this game, hitting 12 of 26 field goals (6-for-13 from deep) and then a 7-for-9 clip from the foul line.
While Brown struggled to get offensive momentum going, Tatum took control and made key baskets down the stretch.
Tatum has faced criticism in the past for sometimes taking the backseat and letting plays unfold without making an impact, but that hasn’t been the case so far this season.
Celtics are showing a winning mentality after getting a big lead
Joe Mazzulla is one of the best in the business for a reason. The Celtics appeared to be on their way to a comfortable double-digit victory early in the third quarter, but Detroit showed it wouldn’t give in that easily.
The Celtics could do nothing but watch as the Pistons stormed back and even took a six-point lead in the fourth quarter.
However, the Celtics showed why they are the reigning champions. Amid the failed chances and missed shots, they kept their heads down and focused on gradually getting back into the game themselves.
That patience eventually paid off, with Tatum and Derrick White getting involved on both ends of the field to monitor the game once they took the late lead.
Jrue Holiday makes a timely impact after a quiet start
Holiday went three quarters without a field goal and recorded just one point entering the fourth.
But when the star point guard made his only two field goals of the game, they may have been the ones to help Boston win the affair.
After losing 112-106, Holiday hit back-to-back triples to tie the score.
Detroit never led again from that point on. It’s the second straight game in which Holiday has scored just seven points, but without those six, this game could have had a different outcome.
