Jaylen Brown‘s stellar 33-point performance fueled the NBA-leading Boston Celtics to their eighth consecutive victory, overcoming the Detroit Pistons with a dominant 129-102 score on Friday night.
“It’s an honor to coach Jaylen when is playing like this,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He’s processing every possession on both ends of the floor and he’s getting the shots he wants, both for himself and his teammates. He’s playing very well-rounded basketball and it has been fun to watch.”
The victory solidifies Boston’s top spot with a record of 56-15, reflecting an .800 winning percentage. Conversely, Detroit’s struggles continue, tying them with Washington at the league’s bottom with a 12-58 record, a stark 44 games behind the Celtics.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons Updates
With Jayson Tatum sidelined to rest an ankle, Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White stepped up, adding 20 and 19 points, respectively, alongside White’s 11 assists.
Brown, 13 of 19 from the field, emphasized his aggressive play in Tatum’s absence. “I just wanted to be aggressive because we had some guys out,” he said. ”When (Tatum) isn’t out there, I know I have to play a little bit faster.”
The Celtics’ win marks the beginning of a season-long six-game road trip. “It’s the same challenge you have on any trip – continuing to play at a high level and keep the main things as the main things,” Mazzulla noted.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons Updates
Detroit, hindered by injuries to their top five post players, saw James Wiseman scoring a season-high 24 points in a starting role. Despite personal success, Wiseman expressed a team-first attitude. “The stats and stuff really don’t matter to me, because I want to win,” said Wiseman. “We’ve had a lot of peaks and valleys this season, but there are still things we can get better at down the stretch.”
Pistons coach Monty Williams reflected on his team’s resilience despite the losses. “I can’t ever use (talent level) as an excuse,” he said. “We showed in the first quarter and a little in the third that we could compete. We just had two tough quarters – 19 in the second and 19 in the fourth.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons Updates
After a tied game in the second quarter, the Celtics executed a commanding 47-21 run to secure a significant lead by the third quarter, ultimately leading to a comprehensive win.
The Celtics look forward to their next game against Chicago, while the Pistons host New Orleans, hoping to end their losing streak.
