The defending NBA champions have cruised to two victories in the first week of the season. On paper, the Boston Celtics appear primed to collect another double-digit win on Saturday when they visit Detroit.
The Celtics have won their past nine meetings with the Pistons, who are 0-2 this season and are coming off the worst campaign in franchise history. Detroit’s last win in the series was a 112-111 squeaker on Feb. 16, 2022.
Boston got its season off to a roaring start, pummeling the visiting New York Knicks 132-109 on Tuesday while tying the league record with 29 made 3-pointers.
The Celtics followed that with a 122-102 road win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday. Boston led by only one point after the first quarter but bumped it to 10 by halftime. The Celtics outscored the Wizards 34-19 in the third quarter to seal the win.
“Once we settled into the game, it was great,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I think it just took a little while because of how fast those guys are, and then I think a little bit of malaise from a couple days ago. But we responded well.”
The team’s two biggest stars have played like it during the first two contests. Jayson Tatum is averaging 31 points, 7.5 rebounds and eight assists with Jaylen Brown is contributing 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest. Brown had a team-high 27 points on his 28th birthday on Thursday.
Tatum took advantage of some one-on-one matchups with 19-year-old Wizards rookie Alexandre Sarr.
“It’s part of if you’re in Year 19 or Year 1, you’re on the court, you treat everybody the same, and that’s how it should be,” Tatum said. “You don’t take it easy on anybody. Nobody took it easy on me when I was 19.”
The Celtics are in the midst of a stretch in which they play six of seven on the road.
Detroit dropped its opener 115-109 to the visiting Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, then fell 113-101 on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Cade Cunningham racked up 33 points and six assists but also committed nine turnovers at Cleveland. Overall, the Pistons coughed up the ball 22 times.
“When you turn the ball over against a good basketball team, you just get empty possessions,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Twenty-two empty possessions is hard to overcome.”
When Detroit didn’t give away the ball, it shot a good percentage. The Pistons made 46.9 percent of their field-goal attempts, including 40.6 percent from 3-point range.
Cunningham did most of his damage inside the arc. He sank 14 of 24 shots overall but was 2 of 6 from long range.
“I think we’re seeing what he’s capable of, how he can carry a team,” Bickerstaff said of his top player. “Obviously, we talked to him about the turnovers and he was aware of that, but I thought he had a great floor game.”
Backcourt partner Jaden Ivey scored 22 points and guard Malik Beasley had 13 off the bench.
The Pistons will need more production from Tobias Harris. He is averaging 11.5 points through two games after scoring at a 17.2 clip for the Philadelphia 76ers last season.
–Field Level Media
