Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pistons: Hosts Don't Let History Repeat Itself

Jayson Tatum's 38-point performance propels Celtics past Pistons.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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Last season, in the Celtics' final game before the All-Star break, Boston hosted a scrappy Pistons team that had already proven capable of playing them tough.

But the Celtics, looking ahead to the coming vacation, weren't focused on the task at hand, relying on their talent advantage to propel them to victory. Instead, Cade Cunningham, Jerami Grant, and Saddiq Bey combined for 64 points, and the Pistons walked out of TD Garden with a 112-111 win.

While Boston certainly understood the gap in talent might carry the hosts to victory, the Celtics were determined to make sure history didn't repeat itself on Wednesday.

Here's a deep dive into how they entered the All-Star break on a more positive note than a year ago.

Marcus Smart Stuffs the Stat Sheet in His Return

In his first game back after missing the last 11 due to a right ankle sprain, Marcus Smart stayed on the floor for the first 8:31 of the opening frame.

In a vintage shift from the Celtics' floor general, he dished out three assists, swiped two steals, grabbed as many rebounds, and did not attempt a shot. The combination of his individual and the team's performance earned him a plus-minus rating of plus-three.

More importantly than his stats, Smart was moving well out there and looked comfortable playing his brand of basketball.

Smart and White produced three-straight steals in a second-quarter sequence. The former had two of those thefts. In the first instance, he denied Detroit when the Pistons had a numbers advantage in transition. The second time, he switched onto Cory Joseph as the latter came off a screen, knocking the ball free and taking it in for a layup.

He followed that up with a three from the left slot off a feed from White. Smart entered halftime with five points, four assists, four rebounds, and four steals in 16 minutes. He led all participants in the latter category at the break.

But in a concerning moment with 4:13 left in the third quarter, when Bojan Bogdanovic fell to the floor after banking in a shot from 15 feet while getting fouled by Malcolm Brogdon, Bogdanovic crashed into the back of Smart's legs, sending him to the hardwood.

Smart hobbled to the bench and spoke briefly with a team trainer, but shortly after that, he was standing up, enthusiastically reacting to game developments.

He returned to play with 7:34 left in the final frame. Less than two minutes later, he jumped in front of a Bogdanovic pass for another steal, taking it in for a breakaway layup that gave the hosts a 114-99 advantage with 5:47 to go in the game.

Smart produced nine points on 4/6 shooting, seven rebounds, six assists, and swiped a season-high six steals, matching the Pistons' team total in the latter category.

He produced the first six/six/six/six stat line of his career, becoming the first Celtic to do so since 1990, joining Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Antoine Walker, and David Wesley as the only players in the franchise's history to accomplish that feat.

After the game, Joe Mazzulla said of how much the Celtics missed Smart: "I think we missed him a lot. We missed his joy. He brought a level of joy to the game tonight."

James Wiseman's Pistons Career Gets Off to a Fine but Quiet Start

James Wiseman first entered the game with 3:29 left in the opening period. He missed his first attempt, a three from the right wing over Luke Kornet. His shot looked good, but shooting variance didn't go in his favor.

The following time down the floor, he caught a feed from Killian Hayes deep in the paint and quickly produced a layup off one dribble. He followed that up with a baseline jumper, salvaging a possession after Kornet did well to recover to Alec Burks and block his left-corner three.

And on Detroit's second possession of the second quarter, he gathered the ball at the basket, burrowed his way into creating separation from two defenders, and tacked on two more points.

Overall, it was a quiet first half for Wiseman, though. He registered six points on three of six shooting, grabbed two rebounds, and had a plus-minus rating of minus-eight in nine minutes at halftime.

Wiseman did have a putback in the final minute of the third quarter, flying in to clean up a Burks missed layup, cutting Detroit's deficit to 94-87 with 33 seconds left in the period.

But in the second half, he was more invisible than the first. Wiseman finished with 11 points on 5/9 shooting and five rebounds in 24 minutes. As quiet as his night was, that's a fine starting point to his Pistons career.

Jayson Tatum Sets a Franchise Record in the Third Quarter

The Pistons outscored the Celtics 39-31 in the third frame. And with 2:54 left, Detroit was outpacing Boston 29-19, and claimed a 7-0 advantage in fast-break points.

But Tatum, who at the time was 6/7 and responsible for 15 of what Boston put on the board, drilled three more shots from beyond the arc, finishing the quarter with 24 points and leading the charge as the hosts took a 97-89 advantage into the final 12 minutes.

Tatum put on a shooting clinic, knocking down threes off the catch, cashing in on step-backs and pull-ups, converting on all six long-range attempts. Four of those came from the left wing.

Tatum also generated four points at the rim, finishing a frame he never subbed out of 9/11 from the field. His 24 points were the most a Celtic has ever scored in a third quarter.

Bogdanovic was the only other player on either side to score in double-figures, manufacturing 14 on 6/7 shooting.

Tatum ended the night with 38 points and nine rebounds, game highs in both categories, and a team-best seven assists.

Celtics' Sixth Man Helps Hosts Cruise to Victory in Final Frame

Malcolm Brogdon was outstanding in Wednesday night's win, providing 25 points, six assists, and three rebounds off the bench. His plus-minus rating of plus-20 was the highest in the game by a comfortable margin. Sam Hauser took home the silver in that category with a plus-15.

Brogdon eased into the game, playing the final 3:29 of the opening period. After scoring four points in the first quarter, he caught fire in the second, contributing 14 points on 5/5 shooting, capitalizing on all four threes he hoisted.

And after a quiet third frame, missing the only shot he took, the former Virginia Cavalier played a pivotal role in Boston cruising to the finish line. Brogdon paced all participants with seven points and four assists, as the Celtics put 30 on the board while limiting the Pistons to 20, finishing off a 127-109 win in their last game before the All-Star break.

Up Next

The Celtics are on to the All-Star break. They return Thursday, Feb. 23, against the Pacers in Indiana.

Further Reading

Tuesday's Near-Win for Shorthanded Celtics vs. Bucks Not a Moral Victory, But Boston Sees the Value of the Experience

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Loss vs. Bucks: Shorthanded Visitors Fight Valiantly, But Inability to Close Quarters Proves Costly

Grant Williams Reportedly Seeking Contract In the $20 Million Annually Range

Jayson Tatum to Participate in 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend

Celtics Guard Wins NBA Player of the Week For First Time in Career After Massive Week

Mike Muscala on Celtics Debut: 'a Blessing, it was Fun'

Derrick White Discusses His Career Night and Matching a Celtics Franchise Record

Celtics Reportedly 'Engaged' with Several Potential Buyout Candidates

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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