Following a 117-114 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown shouted out the home crowd at TD Garden.
“This is the best crowed we had all year,” Brown said, per CLNS Media. “You could feel the energy. You could feel them behind it. I loved to see it.”
Brown led the Celtics in scoring with 33 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while Derrick White may have been Boston’s best player on the night, scoring 27 points on an efficient 7-of-13 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three.
The Celtics shattered Detroit’s scorching 13-game winning streak, a run that had vaulted them to 15-2 on the season and evoked memories of their championship eras. With Cade Cunningham erupting for 42 points, the Pistons pushed Boston to the brink, but a controversial late foul and missed free throw from Cunningham sealed their fate in this NBA Cup group-stage showdown.
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Detroit jumped out to a 30-24 lead after one quarter, fueled by Cunningham’s sharp shooting and relentless drives. Boston stormed back in the second, outscoring the visitors 33-28 to take a slim halftime edge, thanks to Brown’s early aggression.
The third quarter saw the teams trade blows, with the Celtics extending to a five-point lead entering the fourth, only for Detroit to claw within one on a Cunningham three-pointer that ignited the crowd’s groans.
But the real drama erupted in the final minutes. White, with ice in his veins, erupted for 11 of his 27 points over the last 4:30, sinking contested jumpers to keep Boston ahead. Down three with under 10 seconds left, Cunningham drew a foul on a mid-court three-pointer attempt. Officials reviewed and awarded three free throws; he nailed the first two but rimmed out the third. Payton Pritchard snagged the rebound, drew his own foul, and converted both ends to push the lead to five with 2.4 seconds remaining. A desperate Pistons inbound pass was swiped by Boston, extinguishing any last-second heroics from Detroit.
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For the Pistons, the loss stings after matching their franchise mark for consecutive wins, a feat last achieved in their 2003-04 title season. Cunningham’s scoring prowess wasn’t enough, as other members of Detroit’s young core showed cracks under pressure.
The Celtics are now 10-8 on the season (6-4 at home). Next up, they’ll hit the road to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
