DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 25 points and Jalen Duren added 24 to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 119-113 victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
The Celtics started strong, jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the opening minutes and building a lead as large as 17 points. However, Detroit battled back, with Ausar Thompson contributing 21 points and the Pistons dominating the boards to score 30 second-chance points. Thompson himself secured four of those crucial points in the closing minutes.
Boston’s defense tightened compared to their previous games, avoiding giving up 42 points in a quarter as they had in their first two losses. Nevertheless, Detroit managed to score a combined 70 points over the second and third quarters, allowing the Pistons to carry a 13-point lead into the fourth.
The Celtics pulled within four points with 1:13 remaining after Jaylen Brown hit two free throws. Brown led Boston with 41 points, while Payton Pritchard added 21, Derrick White had 15, and reserve Anfernee Simons chipped in 12. However, Tobias Harris stepped up for Detroit, scoring on an offensive rebound on the very next possession to help seal the win. Harris finished with 18 points, marking him as the Pistons’ fourth player in double figures.
Duren also dominated the glass with 17 rebounds, Thompson grabbed 12, and Cunningham dished out eight assists for Detroit.
The Celtics, adjusting to the absence of injured star Jayson Tatum and the departure of key players Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, have now dropped their first three games of the season. On the other hand, the Pistons improved to two wins in a row following their season-opening loss at Chicago.
Ahead of the game, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff emphasized the importance of NBA players and coaches being mindful about conversations outside their organizations that might carry gambling implications. The NBA’s gambling scandal remains a hot topic in Detroit, a city with a rich basketball history highlighted by Chauncey Billups, who helped the Pistons win the 2004 title and earned NBA Finals MVP honors.
Up Next:
– Celtics: At New Orleans on Monday
– Pistons: Host Cleveland on Monday