NBA: Celtics lead all the way to victory over Pistons
Feb 15, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half against the Detroit Pistons at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jayson Tatum scored 26 of his game-high 38 points in the second half to help the Boston Celtics defeat the visiting Detroit Pistons 127-109 Wednesday night.
An illness prevented Tatum from playing in Tuesday night’s 131-125 overtime loss at Milwaukee. He was 15 of 24 from the field against Detroit, including 6 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc. Tatum had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, in the third quarter — the most points he’s scored in one quarter during his NBA career.
Point guard Marcus Smart returned to the Boston lineup after missing 11 games with an ankle injury and finished the game with nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals.
Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 28 points. Jaden Ivey added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Detroit was within six points early in the fourth quarter, but it was all Boston after that. The Pistons never had a lead in the game.
Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score 25 points for the Celtics. He made 10 of his 14 field goal attempts, including five 3-pointers.
38 PTS
9 REB
7 AST
5 3PMJayson Tatum and the Celtics get the home W. pic.twitter.com/lK9lZAfR4w
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2023
Boston made 21 of its 45 3-point attempts (46.7 percent) in the victory.
Center James Wiseman played in his first game for Detroit since being acquired from Golden State last week. Wiseman, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, tossed in 11 points and had five rebounds in 24 minutes.
The Celtics led 31-26 after one quarter and 66-51 at halftime. Detroit trailed by as many as 18 points in the second quarter. The Pistons were within five points, 85-80, with 3:13 remaining in the third, but trailed 97-89 entering the fourth.
Brogdon made each of his four 3-point attempts in the first half and had 18 points at halftime. The Celtics connected on 12 of 25 3-point attempts in the half.
The victory gave the Celtics a sweep of their four regular season games against the Pistons.
