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Celtics-Pistons Takeaways: C’s survive 23-point comeback to remain undefeated originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
What to know
Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 37 points for the second time in three games.
The Celtics led by as many as 23 points and held off a late second-half Pistons rally.
Jrue Holiday made a timely impact with back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
The Celtics will return to action next Monday against the Bucks at TD Garden at 7:30 pm ET.
The Boston Celtics remained undefeated on Saturday night, defeating the Detroit Pistons 124-118 on the road after blowing a 23-point lead.
Boston enjoyed another strong start, outscoring Detroit 42-31 thanks to Jayson Tatum’s quick outburst. Al Horford also started early from multiple scoring levels.
It was 73-62 at halftime, with Tatum’s 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting (5-of-10 from long range) leading the way. Horford added 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, while Jaylen Brown contributed 14 points. Payton Pritchard had a significant impact off the bench with 16 points and made 4 of 6 three-pointers.
Boston led by 23 points five minutes into the second quarter, but Detroit used a sensational run to take an 88-86 lead late in the third, its first lead of the game.
The Celtics managed to hold on 94-93 to end the third, but it was far from pretty as the hot shots dried up. Brown, in particular, struggled to find his footing, shooting at a 6-for-20 clip with Jrue Holiday yet to score a field goal.
But after trailing 112-106 in the fourth, Boston found a way to outscore Holiday and played the final game of free throws to remain undefeated at 3-0. Detroit, led by Jaden Ivey’s efficient 26 points, fell to 0-3 despite a better bench impact.
With the Milwaukee Bucks next Monday, here are three takeaways from the Celtics’ win against the Pistons:
Jayson Tatum ties season-high points to continue in good shape
Tatum has been on a roll to open the 2024-25 season, posting totals of 37 and 25 points in each of the last two games.
He tied his season high of 37 in this game, making 12 of 26 field goals (6 of 13 from deep) along with a 7 of 9 clip from the foul line.
As Brown struggled to gain offensive momentum, Tatum took control and provided the key baskets down the stretch.
Tatum has faced criticism in the past for sometimes taking a backseat and allowing plays to develop without making an impact, but that hasn’t been the case so far this season.
Celtics display winning mentality after giving up 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 they wouldn’t back down that easily.
The Celtics could do nothing but watch as the Pistons rallied and even took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter.
However, the Celtics showed why they are the current champions. Amid missed opportunities and missed shots, they kept their heads and focused on gradually getting back into the game.
That patience paid off in the end, with Tatum and Derrick White getting involved on both ends of the court to see the game out once they took the final lead.
Jrue Holiday makes timely impact after quiet start
Holiday went three quarters without a field goal and scored just one point entering the fourth.
But when the star point guard scored his only two field goals of the game, they were undoubtedly the ones that helped Boston win the affair.
After falling 112-106, Holiday hit consecutive 3-pointers to tie the score.
Detroit never led from that point on. It’s the second straight game in which Holiday scored just seven points, but without those six, this game could have had a different outcome.