THE Detroit pistons And Boston Celtics have been locked in a good battle within the first quarter when Ausar Thompson Switched the early momentum.
With three minutes within the first quarter, Thompson returned to the sport and went to work whereas preserving the Star of the Celtics Jayson Tatumwhich turned sizzling with 12 early factors.
A minute later, Thompson tracked Tatum round a number of display makes an attempt on the Neemias Queta heart, shifting effortlessly within the 7 toes as if he was not even on the bottom. Thompson caught between Tatum and the ball for a flight, resulting in a Malik Beasley Fastbreak Dunk to advance the pistons 21-20.
The next possession, Isaiah Stewart climbed on a scale to leap an tried Dunk of Jordan Walsh, resulting in a Beasley 30 toes 3. Then, Tobias Harris slipped in entrance of a Tatum go for one more flight and Marcus Sasser was the sufferer of a fault in transition. Thompson returned subsequent time to the bottom and was held robust when Tatum tried to alleviate him earlier than pushing the free ball for a Saving Transition lay-up. He then stole it from Queta within the submit, resulting in a Beasley 3 in transition. To complete the quarter, the protection of the pistons repressed and compelled a violation of the blocking.
The pistons completed the opening quarter by producing 5 consecutive empty possessions to carry out a sequence of 11-0 and construct an advance of 29-20. Detroit compelled 4 reversals on this part, three from Thompson’s exercise. The second 12 months wing ended with 5 interceptions, in addition to seven factors and 6 rebounds, in 26 minutes of the Pistons’ victory 117-97 Earlier than being helped to get out of the earth late by coaches on account of cramps.
JB on their protection: “I feel we have been distinctive. To set the tone as we did to start out the sport, to maintain them at 20 factors on the first quarter, we confirmed that we got here out with a degree to show.”
– Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) February 27, 2025
It was an instantaneous instance of pistons who managed to make success on the defensive finish of the soil as Among the massive groups within the historical past of the franchise. Throughout the sequence of eight consecutive victories, The pistons lead the NBA in a defensive word at 105.9Simply ahead Golden State Warriors And Los Angeles Lakerswhich has 6-2 of their final eight. Detroit can be second on the defensive ranking in 2025 in 27 video games. The pistons Second classification of the online hill throughout this part at plus-16.4Behind the top of the NBA Cleveland ridersthat are additionally on a sequence of eight consecutive victories.
Shawn Windsor: Detroit pistons turn out to be stronger by the sport. It is time to begin listening.
The Celtics didn’t fall quietly. Boston, who established an NBA report final 12 months in an offensive word and was presently rating fourth this season, replied with a second quarter of 35 factors propelled by eight consecutive matches 3S to finish half-time and enter the locker rooms equally at 55.
However the pistons had a response from their very own. The protection maintained the Celtics at 38.1% taking pictures, together with 3 out of 11 out of three, within the third quarter to assist stimulate the offense on the opposite facet. The pistons reached 13 of the 21 pictures within the third quarter, together with 5 out of three, to guide by 11 coming into the fourth quarter.
It was extra or extra of the identical factor within the fourth quarter, the place the pistons maintained the Celtics at 18 factors out of 27.8% of the shot on the sphere to crown the victory of 20 factors. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla agitated the white flag early and emptied his bench with slightly below 5 minutes, the pistons in entrance of 108-90.
The Celtics have completed with lower than 100 factors for the fifth time this season and solely the eighth time up to now two years. It was the second consecutive match that the Pistons held a staff of underneath 100 years of age after limiting the Los Angeles Clippers At 97 Monday and third time throughout the sequence of eight consecutive victories.
Since Thompson entered the full-time beginning formation on January 9 on the Place du Jaden Ivey injured, the pistons have a file of 14-8 in complete. They completed the fourth January in defensive word and are At the moment fourth for Februarywith a match remaining in opposition to the Denver Nuggets At residence Friday. The primary quarter in opposition to the Celtics summed up the way it occurred.
Jared Ramsey is a sports activities journalist for the Detroit Free Press. Observe Jared X Or BlueskyAnd ship him an e mail to [email protected].
This text initially appeared on Detroit Free Press: The protection of Ausar Thompson tortured the Celtics within the profitable pistons
