SB Nation Boston - Pistons Vs. Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce Lead C's In 101-90 Winhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2011-04-03T22:06:51-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18527272011-04-03T22:06:51-04:002011-04-03T22:06:51-04:00Celtics 101, Pistons 90: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce Pace Boston In Win
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<p>Kevin Garnett totaled 23 points and eight rebounds and Paul Pierce added 22 points and six boards as the Boston Celtics toppled the Detroit Pistons, 101-90, at TD Garden on Sunday evening.</p>
<p>Boston (53-28) improved to an impressive 30-8 in home games. The Celtics trailed, 29-26, after one quarter but outscored the Pistons, 23-19, in the second quarter to take a 49-48 lead into halftime. </p>
<p>The third quarter was the key for Boston, which outscored Detroit 33-18. The Celtics were outscored, 24-19, in the final quarter, but it was too late for the Pistons to complete the comeback.</p>
<p>Ray Allen finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting for Boston, which shot a sizzling 64.1 percent from the field (41-for-64). Glen Davis added 11 points and six rebounds and Delonte West scored 10 off the bench for the Celtics.</p>
<p>Will Bynum led Detroit with 20 points and Tayshaun Prince added 16 points. Richard Hamilton had 14 points and five assists and Greg Monroe scored 11 points for Detroit, which shot 42.5 percent. Charlie Villanueva scored 15 points off the bench for the Pistons.</p>
<p>Boston suffered a major setback when center Shaquille O'Neal (six points in five minutes) left the game in the second quarter with an injury and went straight to the locker room. O'Neal did not return for the remainder of the game.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-celtics/2011/4/3/2089344/celtics-pistons-kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-will-bynum-game-recap-apr-3Gethin Coolbaugh2011-04-03T16:24:55-04:002011-04-03T16:24:55-04:00Pistons Vs. Celtics: C's Return Home, Look To Find Momentum Against Detroit
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<p>Seven games remain on the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Celtics</a>' regular season slate. How many of those games they actually complete is anyone's guess.</p>
<p>Coming off yet another head-scratching loss on Friday night in Atlanta in which the C's took the fourth quarter off, Boston looks to get some momentum back with an early evening tilt against the visiting <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> Sunday night at 6 p.m. EDT (TV/Radio: CSNNE/WEEI).</p>
<p>The 88-83 loss to the <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Hawks</a> was not only marked by the somnambulant final frame (the Celts have been outscored 152-113 in the fourth over their last six games) but by the C's getting hammered on the boards.</p>
<p>Atlanta outrebounded the Celts 52-38, 14-3 on the offensive glass, making the absence of big men <span>Nenad Krstic</span>, <span>Troy Murphy</span> and Shaquille O'Neal even more apparent. The Celts are 29th in the league in rebounding, averaging 38.9 per game. Luckily for them, the Pistons (26-49) are 30th in that department, at 38.4.</p>
<p>Friday night's loss dropped the Celts to third place overall in the Eastern Conference at 52-23. Headed into Sunday's action, they sit a half game behind second place Miami and three and half behind first place Chicago.</p>
<p>They play two games on the road this week against the <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bulls</a> and the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Heat</a>, but first have a quick, two-game homestand that begins with the matchup against the Pistons, in danger of losing 50 games in consecutive seasons for the first time in 16 years, and who Boston has beaten twice in three previous meetings this season.</p>
<p><span>Paul Pierce</span> has taken advantage of Detroit in those three games, averaging 25.3 points on 61.3 percent shooting. The Celtics need to get <span>Ray Allen</span> more involved in the offense, not just against the Pistons, (11.7 points per game this year), but in general. As the C's have swooned, so has Allen, who has put up just 12.7 points per game on a rough 35.6 percent shooting over his last seven.</p>
<p>The Celts did get some positive news on the injury front this weekend. The MRI taken on Krstic's injured left knee showed nothing but a bone bruise, making him day-to-day. And Sunday night could well mark the long-awaited return of Shaq, out since Feb. 1, with a strained Achilles tendon.</p>
<p>Along with Jermaine O'Neal, who came back on Thursday night after a 36-game absence, the returns of Shaq and Krstic will augment the Celts battered front line in a major way.</p>
<p>The Celtics have lost their last two home games, the first time all season they've dropped back-to-back contests at TD Garden, but the Pistons have lost nine straight on the road.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/4/3/2332684/pistons-vs-celtics-cs-return-home-look-to-find-momentum-againstJeremy Gottlieb