The Celtics knew human nature was going to be an opponent in itself. That was on full display in Saturday night’s 124-118 win over the Detroit Pistons.
While Detroit is an improved team, they still won just 14 games last season—Boston won 16 in the playoffs alone. This was a game the Celtics should’ve dominated, and early on, it looked like they would.
Boston jumped out to a 23-point first-half lead, fueled by a 42-point first quarter and 16 three-pointers. However, Detroit fought back, first closing the first half with an 18-6 run, then scoring 18-3 in the third quarter to take an 88-86 lead.
“I thought their physicality dictated the pace of the second half on both ends,” Joe Mazzulla said postgame. “They were more physical on their offense, running their stuff harder, running it faster, putting us in difficult spots, creating separation. And I thought on the defensive end, they took away our rhythm because of their physicality. So, credit to them.”
The Pistons gave Boston all they could handle, forcing clutch minutes at Little Caesars Arena. It was the first close-game test of the new season for the Celtics, who had outscored their opponents by 43 points in the first two games, and they passed that test with flying colors, sticking to the mantra engraved on their championship rings from last season: “Whatever it takes.”
Boston trailed by six with 5:12 left in the fourth quarter before locking in defensively and closing the game on an 18-6 run. Over the final 5:11, the Celtics held Detroit to 2-of-13 shooting (15.4%) from the field and 1-of-8 from three (12.5%), blocking three shots and forcing a turnover.
That defense led to smoother offense, with the Celtics shooting 4-of-6 (66.7%) from the field, 2-of-3 (66.7%) from beyond the arc, and a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line over the final 3:32. Three of those four makes were assisted.
“You are going up against a team that’s done it at the highest level,” Detroit head coach JB Bickerstaff said postgame. “They understand all of the little things.”
Albeit on a MUCH lesser stage, the Celtics looked an awful lot like the team we saw go 6-0 in crunch time last postseason, outscoring opponents by 26, with a 126.9 offensive rating and an 80.0 defensive rating in those moments.
“It’s not always going to be a blowout,” Derrick White said postgame. “Understand that there are going to be so many different ways we can win games, and so many different people are going to have to step up for us. Each game is different. Each game is a learning opportunity, so we’re going to learn from this game. I think it’s good for us to be challenged. It’s good for us to stick together in moments like that and just find ways to win.”
It was clear Boston had been there before. Their composure shined through, with contributions from multiple players helping lock down the victory.
Jrue Holiday, who hadn’t made a shot prior, hit back-to-back threes that jumpstarted Boston’s run to close the game. He then stripped the ball from Tobias Harris during a two-on-two transition opportunity, which led to points on the other end.
White came up with a massive block at the rim on Cade Cunningham, denying what looked like a certain two points and preserving Boston’s 116-114 lead. That crucial play set up Jayson Tatum’s 17-foot stepback jumper with 28 seconds left, sealing the game.
Not to be overlooked was Jaylen Brown’s big free throws, five fourth-quarter rebounds, and effort on the defensive end, which played a significant role in Detroit’s cold shooting to end the game. The same goes for Al Horford, whose presence opened the floor, helping Boston generate good looks.
“Just our poise,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said when asked what he liked from his team down the stretch. “Got stops. Executed. We got Jrue two wide-open shots because of our execution. So, just the poise. Getting through the first close game, to be able to execute situational stuff like that, getting stops, executing at the other end, free throws, rebounding, getting plays. It was pretty good.”
That’s the kind of stuff you expect from NBA champions. Sure, it’s not ideal that they found themselves in that situation, especially after blowing a 23-point lead primarily due to their own mistakes, but that’s just part of the grind in an 82-game season. They’ll encounter these scenarios plenty before June.
“It’s never going to be pretty or perfect always. We play 82 games a year, and there are some prideful guys in the NBA. It’s a long game. With how fast-paced the game is, no 20-point lead is safe,” Tatum said postgame.
“The fun part was just how we figured out a way to win. We were never rattled, never worried. We know what we’re supposed to do on offense and how to execute our late-game plays that we like to go to. It was just fun to be a part of. It’s fun to be a part of those moments of, it’s not going well, it’s kinda ugly, and we’re not rattled, and we figure it out. Everybody plays a part in that.”
Earning a win is never a bad thing. Every victory counts the same, and the Celtics understand there’s a lot—good and bad—they can take away from this game.
“At the end of the day, we won, but we can get better,” Mazzulla said. “That’s good to have that taste in your mouth: the idea that we won but the idea that we have to get better.”
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