FINAL: Celtics 98, Pistons 80
Celtics dominate in battle of East powers (FINAL: Celtics 98-80)
This was supposed to be a showdown. It ended up being a letdown.
In a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, the Celtics were the only team to show up for the second half in a 98-80 drubbing of the Detroit Pistons tonight at TD Banknorth Garden. Coming off a victory over the Cavaliers last night in Detroit, the Pistons looked like they had nothing left in the tank.
Boston shot 49 percent for the game and 50 percent from three-point range, while the Pistons were held to 43 percent shooting overall. Detroit is now 4-4 with Allen Iverson in the lineup. The Celtics, meanwhile, improved the Eastern Conference’s best record to 11-2.
We’ll have plenty of postgame reaction here from the Garden, so stay tuned.
O’Bryant checks in (6:02 fourth quarter, Celtics 90-63)
Center Patrick O’Bryant has just checked into his fourth game of the season. He replaces Leon Powe.
Some final tallies (6:18 fourth quarter, Celtics 90-63)
The benches are in for both teams, so it’s fairly safe to assume we won’t see any of the starters back out on the court. For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo finishes with 18 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Kevin Garnett (15 points), Ray Allen (12 points), and Eddie House (11 points) were also in double-figures for Boston. Tony Allen and Paul Pierce each had 9.
Allen Iverson led the Pistons with 16 points and 4 assists. Rasheed Wallace added 13 points and 6 rebounds.
Exit strategy (8:29 fourth quarter, Celtics 84-57)
With the lopsided score and the late start time, some of the fans are headed for the exits already.
Point blank (10:38 third quarter, Celtics 79-57)
It’s Gabe Pruitt vs. Will Bynum as the point guard matchup right now. TNT must be wondering if it can recoup 1/4 of the money they paid for this game.
THIRD QUARTER
48 minutes (END third quarter, Celtics 77-57)
Not much left for the Celtics to do here but to keep playing hard, as blowing this kind of a lead would be an unimaginable disaster.
Five for ‘Sheed (2:57 third quarter, Celtics 75-52)
Rasheed Wallace just picked up his fifth personal foul as Rajon Rondo took it to the hoop. It’s all unraveling for the Pistons.
Running away (3:34 third quarter, Celtics 73-52)
The Celtics have turned up the intensity and are quickly runnng away with this game in the third quarter. Rajon Rondo has been the catalyst with 4 assists in the period, and Kevin Garnett (8 points) and Paul Pierce (5 points) have been the beneficiaries.
Allen also just drew the fourth personal foul on Rasheed Wallace.
Hot start for Boston (9:00 third quarter, Celtics 57-44)
A little 8-4 run has the Celtics up by 13. Rajon Rondo got his team-leading 10th and 11th points on a layup, then found Ray Allen ahead of the field for another lay to force a Pistons timeout.
SECOND QUARTER
Halftime lead (END second quarter, Celtics 49-40)
Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen each had 9 points in the first half to help the Celtics to a lead here at the break. The two combined to go 8-of-10 from the floor.
On the other side, Allen Iverson is pacing the Pistons with 12 points and 4 assists. Detroit committed an unwieldy 10 turnovers in the half but have managed to stay in the game with 48 percent shooting. The Celtics are shooting 53 percent.
Sheed has 3 (5:09 second quarter, Celtics 40-27)
Rasheed Wallace just picked up his third personal foul as he tried to stop Kevin Garnett from dunking on a fast break. KG didn’t dunk, but Wallace is now on the bench.
House…money (5:35 second quarter, Celtics 38-27)
Leon Powe ignited the fast break with a huge block on Tayshaun Prince, and Eddie House finished it with a three-pointer to get the crowd to its feet here at the Garden. The Celtics found House for another three on the very next possession as Boston ran out to its largest lead of the game.
Timeout, Detroit.
Powe free throw shooting (8:30 second quarter, Celtics 29-23)
Leon Powe just made 1-of 2- from the line, making him 1-of-4 for the night.
“Scal-a-brine!” (10:35 second quarter, Celtics 26-21)
Brian Scalabrine started the second quarter for the Celtics and promptly hit his first field goal attempt of the game, a three-pointer from the corner across from the Celtics bench.
FIRST QUARTER
All tied up (END first quarter, Celtics 21, Pistons 21)
The first quarter has come and gone, and it’s hard to gauge too much from it. Both teams are shooting at a high percentage (56 percent for Boston, 50 percent for Detroit), which is unusual when the Celtics and Pistons play.
Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson combined for 15 points for Detroit, while Rajon Rondo is pacing the Celtics with 9 points and 3 assists. First quarter kind of seemed like a fluke, so it’s appropriate we’re tied and both teams come out with a clean slate for the second.
Big screen (2:37 first quarter, Pistons 19-16)
They just showed a couple children of Celtics players, in the crowd tonight, up on the Jumbotron during the timeout, and it seemed to make a few of the players uncomfortable. Not sure the players want their kids to be such public domain like that during a game.
C’s settling down (5:35 first quarter, Pistons 14-10)
The Celtics refused to let the game get out of hand early and have fought back to get within four. Both teams have made 5 of their first 10 shots. Rajon Rondo has made a series of runners and floaters for 6 early points. The Pistons, meanwhile, have turned 3 Celtics turnovers into 7 quick points.
Definitely more intensity in the building tonight than there was Tuesday night, when the Knicks were in town. Sorry, Quentin.
Yikes (8:14 first quarter, Pistons 13-2)
Awful start for the Celtics, who are down double-digits early. Allen Iverson is 3 for 3 and the Pistons have made 5 of their first 7 shots here. The Celtics, meanwhile, have just a Kevin Garnett jumper to put them on the scoreboard. Detroit seems to be playing at a higher speed right now.
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