Celtics' low point offers a valuable perspective on what might await them

Detroit -- Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, the top two teams in the East squared off in a slugfest. No matter the opponent, the Detroit Pistons are going to bring their physical brand of basketball to the floor. That wears down opponents and challenges them mentally.

It is also at the heart of why the top team in the conference is forcing the second-most turnovers per game. In the first half of this Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup, the Boston Celtics had 14 giveaways. That led to nine turnovers and a 14-0 advantage for the hosts in points off those giveaways.

"Cleaning things up, making smart plays," said Payton Pritchard post-game. "But also, I feel like some of those turnovers [we] could have controlled them a little bit better. Went through our hands, stuff like that. So, stuff [that] we've got to take care of it, but [it] happens."

To the Celtics' credit, they only committed five giveaways in the second half. That contained the damage inflicted to a 19-6 Pistons advantage in points off turnovers. Still, it was a decisive and devastating loss on the margins in a 104-103 defeat that came down to a fadeaway jumper by Jaylen Brown over the outstretched arm of Tobias Harris.

There were also the 50/50 balls that repeatedly wound up in Detroit's hands. That's mostly a product of good fortune. However, the more the outcome of those coin flips goes to one side, the more it feels like other factors influenced the outcome. The primary one that comes to mind is the impact of the Pistons' physicality.

"I thought the game came down to like six, just 50/50 balls that we didn't come up with," said Joe Mazzulla after the loss. "They're down eight in the first half, and there's just a couple [of] almost-steals that we had that just didn't go our way, and Duncan Robinson gets a three out of it again, and that could be the difference in it. So, I thought it was, again, there's always 15 to 20 tactical things that we'll look at, but I think it just came down to that."

The Celtics would welcome a playoff series vs. the Pistons

The turnovers, the hosts' ability to capitalize on those mistakes [they generate the second-most points off giveaways], and Detroit consistently coming up with the 50/50 balls made this an uphill battle for Boston.

Between the physicality, the turnovers, and the constant whistles, it was difficult for the visitors to find their rhythm. The Celtics shot south of 40 percent from the field. They went 13/41 [31.7 percent] from beyond the arc.

To their credit, as they acclimated and fought through the Pistons' rugged style of play, they earned 30 free throws. Capitalizing on 23 of them was essential to keeping this game close and giving themselves a chance to win at the end.

"It's a challenge, but I take those challenges on," said Jaylen Brown in the visiting locker room. "It improves your shape. It tests your mental shape as well, and that's what the regular season is for. So, we keep getting better, and you look to make those plays when they matter the most in the playoffs."

The prospect of that happening sounded like a challenge Boston, which went 1-3 against Detroit in this regular-season series, would relish.

"I mean, it's regular season. We lost to the Knicks last year, and we went 4-0. So, it doesn't really matter. You learn from it and prepare for it," said Pritchard when asked about potentially facing the Pistons in the playoffs.

"If it gets to that point, that'd be awesome," said Sam Hauser. "They're a good team, we're a good team, and we know that we can compete with the best. That'd be great to see them in a playoff series if it gets to that point."

Jaylen Brown also expressed his enthusiasm for the chance to play the top team in the East in the postseason. "Great, great. A lot of stuff that I can learn from in these matchups. It's a test of will, a test of physicality, and tonight we came up short by a couple [of] possessions," said Brown. I think that is showing the growth of our team; how we fight, and then, when it comes down to it, I've gotta make a play for our team."

The newly minted All-Star Game starter, a nod Brown is receiving for the first time in his career, has helped lead the Celtics to a season that is defying the expectations set by many pundits. The same is true of what Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are fueling in "The Motor City."

Entering Monday's matchup, Boston boasted the NBA's best offense since Nov. 30. Detroit claims the top-rated defense since that date. It captures how styles make fights, and that the contrast between these two would make for thrilling playoff theatre if these franchises get the chance to renew this once-great rivalry in the postseason.