Pistons end Boston’s 8-game run, beat Celtics 113-104

The Celtics missed their first seven shots from the floor in the final quarter.

Celtics guard Jaylen Brown drives between Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway and Bruce Brown in the first half Saturday. Paul Sancya / AP Photo

By NOAH TRISTER, Associated Press

December 15, 2018

1 minute to read

DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin scored 27 points and Andre Drummond added 19 points and 20 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons beat Boston 113-104 on Saturday night, snapping the Celtics’ eight-game winning streak.

Detroit also ended its own six-game skid with a solid 48-minute effort. The Pistons took control with a 13-0 run in the third quarter and played well at the start of the fourth as well.

Kyrie Irving led Boston with 26 points.

Brad Stevens says, “One thing I like about our guys is no matter what, they just keep going after it.” He pointed out that they did that again tonight even though we just didn’t have our A-game.

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 16, 2018

Both teams shot over 60 percent from the field in the first quarter, and the game was still tight at halftime, with Detroit up 57-56. Drummond punctuated his team’s 13-point run in the third with a dunk that put the Pistons ahead 78-68.

Boston closed the quarter strong and trailed by just seven after three, but a 10-1 run to start the fourth put Detroit up 95-79.

The Celtics missed their first seven shots from the floor in the final quarter and went over seven minutes before making a field goal. Drummond fired up the crowd late in the fourth when he blocked Jayson Tatum’s attempt at a one-handed dunk.

🚫🚫🚫 #PistonsNow

(via @FOXSportsDet) pic.twitter.com/6ABhFtydLc

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 16, 2018

TIP-INS

Celtics: Marcus Smart was called for three fouls in the first 7:37. He did play a bit more before halftime and finished the game with 21 points and five fouls. … The Celtics were without Jabari Bird (personal reasons), Al Horford (left knee) and Guerschon Yabusele (right ankle).

Pistons: Detroit was without Henry Ellenson (left ankle), Zaza Pachulia (illness), Glenn Robinson III (left ankle) and Ish Smith (right adductor). … Reggie Bullock was back in the starting lineup after missing five games with a left ankle sprain. He scored 15 points.

STREAK

One streak that did stay intact was Griffin’s run of 20-point games. He has at least 20 points in nine straight, the first Detroit player to do that since Richard Hamilton in 2008-09.

Griffin also surpassed the 12,000-point mark for his career.