The Detroit Pistons enter Monday night’s road contest against the Boston Celtics with a three-game winning streak and plenty of confidence.
“I think we’re the best team in the league, and we’re going to continue to show it,” said Pistons center Jalen Duren following Friday night’s 142-115 victory over Atlanta.
“(Wins like this) show the world we’re serious about winning (and) that we’re serious about contending for a championship, because that’s what we do it for. We’re not here just to win games; we’re here to win championships.”
Detroit has won 20 of its 25 games, which is tied for the second-best start in franchise history. The 1996-97 Pistons also started 20-5 while the 2005-06 team was a franchise-best 22-3 through 25 games.
Cade Cunningham averages a team-high 26.9 points per game, but Detroit has depth in the scoring department. Eight players reached double figures in the victory over Atlanta: Isaiah Stewart (17), Cunningham (15), Duncan Robinson (15), Duren (14), Ausar Thompson (12), Ron Holland II (12), Jaden Ivey (10) and Caris LeVert (10). Non-starters scored 77 of Detroit’s season-high 142 points.
“There’s no bench unit,” Duren said. “The guys who come off the bench for us are starting-caliber players. So we’re lucky to have a team of guys who all stay locked in, all execute, who all understand the mission. We’re all going for the same goal.”
Boston’s momentum came to a halt with a 116-101 loss Thursday at Milwaukee. That ended the Celtics’ season-long five-game winning streak.
Boston led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but shot 3 for 26 from 3-point range in the final two quarters. The Celtics were held to 34 points in the second half after scoring 35 in the first quarter.
“Just not our night,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We’ve played some good basketball and had an understanding of when we’re at our best, and (against Milwaukee) we got a taste of when we’re not at our best. So we’ve got to get back to work, continue to work at it. Just one of those where it’s not our night and we move on to the next one.”
Boston’s Jaylen Brown averages 29.1 points per game — sixth-best in the league — to go with 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Brown has been asked to carry more of the offensive load because the Celtics have been without an injured Jayson Tatum this season, so he has scored at least 30 points in 14 of his 24 games. Last year, he did so just nine times in 63 games.
“I think the expectation level has always been the same in my brain,” Brown said. “Just come out and compete and maximize our potential and go from there.”
Sunday’s game will be the third between the teams this season. The Pistons won 119-113 at home on Oct. 26, and the Celtics prevailed 117-114 in Boston on Nov. 26. Boston’s victory ended Detroit’s 13-game winning streak.
Brown scored 41 in the loss to Detroit and led Boston with 33 points when the Celtics beat the Pistons. Cunningham had 25 points in the first meeting between the teams and tossed in a game-high 42 during Boston’s 117-114 victory.
