The Detroit Pistons have finally achieved an average defense, thanks to their improved guarding of the three-point line. However, this wasn’t enough against Derrick White and Payton Pritchard on Thursday night.
Three-Point Showdown
In a dazzling display, both White and Pritchard nailed seven three-pointers each, leading the Boston Celtics to a commanding 123-99 win over the Pistons. The duo’s combined three-point total matched that of the entire Pistons team. While White and Pritchard were hot from beyond the arc with 14 out of 27 shots made, the Pistons struggled at just 7-for-37. Even Tim Hardaway and Malik Beasley couldn’t hit their mark.
Celtics’ Strategy Without Tatum
With Jayson Tatum sidelined due to a knee injury, Boston opted for a Twin Towers setup with Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis in front. This change didn’t slow down Pritchard; he came off the bench to score 27 points and dish out 10 assists with only one turnoverโa historic first for any Celtics bench player achieving such stats.
Fans love seeing players like Pritchard step up when it counts!
Pritchard’s shooting prowess was expected as he’s been averaging nearly four threes per game at an impressive 43.2% this season. Yet, his passing shone brightly as he notched his first double-digit assist game.
Pritchard โก๏ธ Kornet
Celtics lead after 1Q on NBA TV & NBA League Pass!
— NBA (@NBA)
White’s Shooting Focus
Derrick White has been trailing closely behind Pritchard in terms of three-pointers made this season. On Thursday, he chose to focus almost entirely on long-range shotsโtaking 12 out of his 13 attempts from downtownโand it paid off given his solid 40% shooting rate from there.
Meanwhile, for teams like Detroit trying to defend against such firepower? Itโs tough! The Celtics launched a whopping 48 threes that night; when defenders overcommitted outside, they simply scored inside with easeโmaking an impressive 62% of their two-point attempts.
Jaylen Brown finishes through contact ๐ช
DET-BOS | 3Q | NBA TV & NBA League Pass
๐ฒ— NBA (@NBA)
Pistons’ Struggle Continues
Finding a way to stop Bostonโs relentless barrage from outside might be possible for some NBA teams eventuallyโbut clearly not yet for Detroit!
