The Celtics will be heading into the All-Star break with a win after defeating the Detroit Pistons 127-109 on Wednesday night. Boston will also hit the break possessing the NBA’s top record at 42-17 on the season.
The Celtics got some reinforcements on Wednesday, as they welcomed Marcus Smart (who missed the last 11 games with an ankle injury), Jayson Tatum and Al Horford back to the lineup. Even Derrick White, who didn’t travel back to Boston with the Celtics following Tuesday night’s loss to Milwaukee because he was seeing a specialist for a ruptured eardrum, played.
The Pistons held their own in the first quarter, trailing by just five at the end of it, but the Celtics would jump out to an 18-point lead in the second quarter behind a barrage of threes and would never look back. Boston knocked down 21 three-pointers on the night while shooting 46.7% from deep. It was the C’s sixth straight game with at least 15 threes and their 12th game with at least 20 threes this season.
As a team, the Celtics shot 49-of-92 (53.3%) from the field and racked up 30 assists. The exceptional ball movement generated high quality looks both beyond arc, but also down low, as the Celtics scored 52 points in the paint, including 30 in the restricted area.
Here are three takeaways as the Celtics head into the break on a high note:
Tatum takes over
Tatum would finish the night with game-highs in points (38) and rebounds (nine), while shooting 15-of-24 (62.5%) from the field and 6-of-10 from deep, but it was the third quarter in which Tatum displayed his dominance. He finished with 24 of Boston’s 31 third-quarter points. It was the most points he has ever scored in a quarter, and it also set a franchise record for most points scored in a third quarter by a Celtic.
Tatum was scoring any way he wanted on Wednesday night, as his 38 points were poured in from all over the court. Tatum finished with 18 points in the paint, including 12 in the restricted area, added another 18 from deep, and two at the free-throw line.
Malcolm Brogdon continues to step up
Could the Malcolm Brogdon addition have gone any better for the Celtics so far? He has completely changed the dynamic of this Celtics team with his play off the bench, and Wednesday night was no different.
After dropping 26 points in Milwaukee, Brogdon scored 25 in the win against Detroit. It marked the 12th game this season in which he scored at least 20 points off the bench, which ranks fourth amongst NBA reserves.
Brogdon scored a team-high 14 points in the second quarter and led the way again in the fourth quarter with seven. The Sixth Man of the Year favorite finished with a game-high +20 plus-minus.
Brogdon has been nothing short of incredible for the Celtics all season long and will play a major role in their success come May and June.
Welcome back, Smart
After missing the last 11 games with an ankle injury, the Celtics welcomed back their heart and soul on Wednesday night in Marcus Smart.
Smart mentioned postgame that he “felt like something was missing” while he was out rehabbing his injury, and he played like someone that was desperate to get back on the court.
Smart was all over the stat sheet as he finished with nine points, six assists, seven rebounds and a season-high six steals. Smart's six steals are the most he has had in a game since April 6, 2017, when he also recorded six steals.
Smart was having a great season before his injury, and he picked up right where he left off on Wednesday night.