NBA: Jayson Tatum scores 43, leads Celtics past Pistons

Jayson Tatum Celtics NBA

FILE – Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics brings the ball up court during the first half of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on November 07, 2022 in Memphis, Tennessee. Justin Ford/Getty Images/AFP

Jayson Tatum poured in 43 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the visiting Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to six games by downing the Detroit Pistons 117-108 on Saturday night.

Tatum made half of his 28 shot attempts, including seven 3-pointers, and went 8-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Grant Williams supplied 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Marcus Smart contributed 18 points, 10 assists and five steals. Derrick White added 12 points and four assists.

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists. Jaden Ivey tossed in 26 points, and Killian Hayes chipped in 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in his first start this season. Saddiq Bey added 10 points.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham sat out for the second consecutive game with left shin soreness. The team’s leading scorer will miss at least two more games, the team announced prior to the game.

The Celtics’ second-leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, missed the game with a knee contusion. Al Horford (back stiffness) and Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) were also sidelined.

It was the second Celtics victory over the Pistons in four nights. Boston recorded a 128-112 home win over Detroit on Wednesday.

Neither team led by more than seven points in the first half, which ended with the Pistons leading 57-55. Bogdanovic led them with 15 points while Tatum had the same amount for the Celtics.

Detroit was still clinging to a slim lead until Boston went on a 13-4 run in the last 4:03 of the third for an 89-81 advantage. Williams finished off that spurt with a 3-pointer. Tatum doubled his first-half point total to reach the 30-point mark.

Tatum drained a jumper with 8:27 left to provide the first double-digit lead of the game at 98-87.

Tatum fired in 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions for a 106-97 lead. Smart then had a steal and layup to re-establish a double-digit lead.

Williams knocked down a corner 3-pointer to make it 111-99.

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