Celtics at Pistons
THE STORY: The Boston Celtics have hit a skid over the last week that included a home loss to the Detroit Pistons. Now they have a chance to avenge that defeat and turn around what could be a disastrous road trip. The Celtics fell to the Derrick Rose-less Bulls 89-80 on Thursday to suffer their fourth loss in the last five games – a stretch in which they have averaged 84.8 points. The Pistons are trending in the other direction, having won six of eight.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSNE (Boston), FSD (Detroit)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (15-14): Boston got a career-high 35 points from Rajon Rondo but still fell to Detroit 98-88 at home on Wednesday. Kevin Garnett sat that contest out but returned Thursday and contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds in the loss at Chicago. That setback began a five-game trip that will take the Celtics through Dallas and Oklahoma City at the beginning of next week. The Celtics still lead the NBA in scoring defense but have topped 90 points only once in the last five games and rank 30th in rebounding. They were outworked on the glass 44-33 in Wednesday’s loss to the Pistons.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (10-22): Rodney Stuckey went for 25 points in the win over Boston and has averaged 28 over the last three. Ben Gordon buried three 3-pointers at the beginning of the fourth quarter to spark a game-ending run in that one. Detroit has gotten strong play from its entire backcourt during its recent run, with rookie Brandon Knight joining the fun with his first career points-assists double-double in Friday’s 114-108 victory over Sacramento. That 114-point output marked a season high for the Pistons, who had entered Friday 28th in the NBA in scoring.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Garnett has averaged 18.9 points and 10.1 assists in 36 career games against Detroit.
2. Pistons coach Lawrence Frank was an assistant with the Celtics last season.
3. Boston had taken six of the previous seven in the series.