Celtics vs. Pistons Recap: Celtics Win, We Lose
18. 102. 64. Final. 109
It’s okay, Celtics Nation: you can come out now.
For those of you who attempted to watch the NBA “game” that went down in TD Garden tonight between the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, I can understand if you hid behind the couch, or under the covers, or went wherever it is you go when you feel threatened – but the game is over.
And Boston won!
Barely.
This game was ugly with a capital UGLY from start to finish, and Boston appeared to be headed for disaster again. Twitter tells you all you need to know about the ebb and flow of this game:
.@AndreDrummondd dunks his way to 11 points as the @DetroitPistons take 23-21 on @celtics after one quarter of play.
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 4, 2014
Celtics go on a run and #Pistons take time.
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 4, 2014
Boston up 40-35 with 2:06 to play in the half.
The @DetroitPistons head into halftime leading the @celtics 43-42. @AndreDrummondd (13 pts, 7 rebs) leads DET. @unclejeffgreen has 10 pts.
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 4, 2014
Done with three in Boston.
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 4, 2014
Celtics - 61, #Pistons - 58. Greg, Josh and Andre have combined for 43 points and 24 rebounds.
And the game is tied. #celtics blow an 11-point lead with 3:28 left. Groundhog Day in Boston. BOS ball with 14.1 left.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) December 4, 2014
It takes OT, but #Celtics top Pistons 109–102! Stay tuned for @Celtics Postgame Live on @CSNNE to see who wins the #TommyAward! #CelticsTalk
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 4, 2014
Boston did everything it could to lose this game, and then miraculously decided it wanted to win this game, and then almost blew another comfortable lead late in overtime, and . . . stop. Just stop.
Jeff Green led all scorers with 32 points, doing most of his damage from behind the arc (6-10) and the free throw line (10-10). Good thing, because he was only 8-for-22 from the floor overall. Neither team shot well tonight, as Boston won the Least Terrible at Shooting award with a field goal percentage of 39.8%, compared to Detroit’s 36.3%.
Kelly Olynyk looked a little bit more comfortable tonight, chipping in 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots – I swear that last part is true! Even so, Boston got absolutely manhandled by Detroit’s bigs, managing to make Andre Drummond (27 pts, 14 rebs, 5 blocks) and Greg Monroe (29 pts, 7 rebs, 1 block) look like the second coming of Olajuwon and Sampson. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Celtics could acquire Drummond? I don’t care how much he scores; I just want to see him swatting someone else’s shots away for a change.
And if you’re wondering how Rajon Rondo fared . . . let’s just say his streak of games in which he scores two points is alive and well. More on him tomorrow.
A win is a win, so Boston snaps its five-game losing streak and climbs to 5-4 against Eastern Conference teams. Next up: the quite-bad-but-possibly-better-than-Boston Los Angeles Lakers this Friday! Please, lord, let them Beat LA!