The Pistons delivered a statement victory on Wednesday, defeating the Celtics — who entered with a six-game winning streak — by 20 points. Detroit has won eight straight, its longest streak since the 2007/08 season.
“We knew this was going to be a tough challenge for us, but we’re just focused on the process of it all,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “We’re not looking past tonight or at what we’ve done in the past. The only thing we’re focusing on is every single night trying to be the best version of ourselves and tonight I think we were pretty close.”
Malik Beasley, a free agent after the season, continued to provide a huge boost off the bench with 26 points in 22 minutes.
“That shot-making ability just lifts people up,” Bickerstaff said. “When he’s hot and that ball’s in the air, you can tell when the ball leaves his hands and is taking the crowd’s breath away.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Tyrese Haliburton looks rejuvenated after some rest and relaxation during the All-Star break, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star notes. Over the last four games, the Pacers guard is averaging 25.8 points per game on 63.2% shooting, including 52.6% of his 3-point attempts. He’s also averaging 11.8 assists during that stretch, compared to just 1.0 turnover per game. “I’m just playing free, having fun,” Haliburton said. “It always helps to see the first one go in. You just kind of react from there. I just thought I did a good job of staying aggressive all night, doing what was needed.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo was yanked to the floor via a hard foul by Houston’s Amen Thompson Tuesday night but the Bucks superstar said he had “no hard feelings” toward the Rockets‘ wing, according to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. Thompson was ejected after an officials’ review. “At the end of the day like you don’t wanna have a league that’s soft,” Antetokounmpo said. “I love guys that play hard. I love guys that they’re great competitors. I’m one of those guys. Sometimes your competitive nature gets in the way (of) making the best decision, the best judgment at the time. And I feel like he wanted to make it a hard foul, but he grabbed my neck.”
- Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. has seen his minutes shrink this month and coach Doc Rivers indicated that roster moves are the reason, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. “Midseason trade. We brought in other guys that I think fill his role,” Rivers said. “His numbers were not great, with Giannis on the floor, those two guys together.”
Malik Beasley being a 6th man candidate along with the Detroit Pistons are the two best stories of the NBA thus far. Happy to see hard work paying off for teams/players. Impressive win even when Jaylen Brown was out last night.
Pistons didn’t have Shroeder, which is no where equal to Brown, though Pistons without Ivey and Shroeder may be close….at least as far as importance & roll on respective teams.
good 6MOY battle between Beasley, Pritchard & Jerome
Pistons could upset someone in the 1st rd.
They are 1/2 game out from 5th seed and playing the Knicks, who they could absolutely upset. 1 game out of 4th and having home court versus Indy or Milwaukee, who again I think they could upset. Outside of Cleveland there isn’t a team in East I think Pistons couldn’t upset, or at minimum push to a 7th game
That Amen foul was every game, multiple times a game in the 80s and 90s. He didn’t want to hurt Giannis, but that’s pretty much the only way you stop a guaranteed bucket.