The Boston Celtics' nine-game win streak was snapped Wednesday night with a 112-111 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.
After Tuesday's 48-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston found itself in a dogfight with Detroit. The Pistons went 16-for-30 (53.3%) from 3-point range and drilled seemingly every clutch shot down the stretch. Jayson Tatum couldn't get the game-winning buzzer-beater to fall, and Detroit was able to escape with a hard-fought victory.
Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 24 points while Saddiq Bey and rookie Cade Cunningham chipped in 20 apiece. Jaylen Brown led the C's in scoring for the second consecutive night with 31 points. Tatum added 22, and Grant Williams stepped up with 17 in a starting role.
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Forsberg: Elite defense gives C's a real chance to contend
Here are three instant takeaways from the Celtics' first loss since Jan. 28, which brings their record to 34-26 heading into the All-Star break. Their next game will take place Feb. 24 in Brooklyn.
Pistons play their hearts out
The Pistons (13-45) are dead-last in the Eastern Conference and have won only two of their last 14, but you wouldn't know it by watching Wednesday night's game.
Detroit's physicality and red-hot 3-point shooting were the keys to its improbable victory. It didn't let off the gas pedal in the fourth quarter despite the C's going on a 13-0 run. Jerami Grant's go-ahead shot with 19.1 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger, followed by Isaiah Stewart's clutch swat of Brown's shot attempt.
The Pistons outrebounded the Celtics 18-2 on the offensive glass and forced 15 Celtics turnovers, including seven from Tatum.
Adding insult to injury for the Celtics was the Kelly Olynyk Revenge Game. The former Celtic bounced back from a zero-point performance Monday to drop 15 off the bench at TD Garden. He also brought down six rebounds and notched two steals.
The Celtics and Pistons will meet again Saturday, Feb, 26 in Detroit.
Jaylen Brown stays hot heading into the break
Brown did all he could to keep the Celtics' win streak alive. Coming off a 29-point performance vs. the Sixers (26 in the first half), he put on a show again Wednesday night.
Brown picked up where he left off with 13 points in the first quarter. This time, his presence was needed in the second half and he didn't disappoint.
The 25-year-old finished with a game-high 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting (3-of-6 from 3). His playmaking was on display as well with six assists. With the All-Star Game four days away, Brown sent the NBA world yet another reminder of what they'll be missing out on.
"Looking forward to being the best version of Jaylen Brown coming back from this break," Brown told reporters after the game.
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Al Horford, Grant Williams step up in losing effort
Horford and Williams helped the Celtics hang around in this one despite Detroit's unconscious shooting from beyond the arc.
Both players stepped up with Robert Williams (calf) out for the second straight game. Horford's 19 points were the most he's scored since Dec. 3 when he tallied 21 vs. the Utah Jazz. He also stuffed the box score with seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Horford came through in crunch time with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 32 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately for Boston, it just wasn't enough as the Pistons punched back shortly thereafter.
Williams replaced Time Lord in the starting lineup for the second straight night and once again was deadly from 3-point range. He went 4-of-7 from 3 and ended up with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
The performance brings Williams that much closer to being the NBA's 3-point percentage leader. His 44.6% rate trails only Miami Heat veteran P.J. Tucker (45.5%).