POST GAME DETROIT

That loss was due to pure team attitude! The Celtics did not want to be in Detroit no less in Auburn Hills Arena playing basketball. So much for rationing minutes yesterday for today's game! Wow, they made Coach Frank look like a HOF coach.

What bothers me is I know come March we'll be sitting and saying I wish we had that game in Detroit..or that game in Brooklyn...It will come back to bite us mark my word!

NEXT GAME - WEDNESDAY - HOME - 7:30 PM - SA SPURS - CSNE/NBA LEAGUE PASS

POST GAME RECAP - ESPNBOSTON.COM

Rapid reaction: Pistons 103, Celtics 83

By Greg Payne | ESPNBoston.com

Rapid reaction after the Detroit Pistons defeated the Boston Celtics 103-83 on Sunday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills:

THE NITTY GRITTY
Jared Sullinger paced the Celtics with 16 points and five rebounds, while Kevin Garnett added 15 points and Rajon Rondo came through with a 12-point, 10-assist double-double. Six Pistons players scored in double-figures, including Greg Monroe (20 points, 13 rebounds), Jason Maxiell (15 points, six rebounds), and Rodney Stuckey (14 points, five rebounds, five assists) off the bench. As a team, the Celtics shot 45.1 percent from the field, made only four of their 17 3-point attempts, were out-rebounded 39-30, and turned the ball over 18 times, good for 23 Piston points.

TURNING POINT
The Celtics entered the third quarter trailing 48-43 and saw themselves outscored 23-14 over the next 12 minutes. Boston shot just 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) in the third frame, continuing a trend of uninspired play that had been manifesting itself since the opening tip. The Pistons carried a 71-57 lead into the fourth quarter and kept their advantage in the mid-teens over the first six minutes. Doc Rivers elected to go small at the 7:00 mark of the final frame, but that did little to stop the Pistons from extending their lead. Though their offense picked up more than it had in the third frame, the Celtics couldn't secure the necessary stops down the stretch to make any sort of serious run and get themselves back into the game.

OFFENSIVELY CHALLENGED
Though Boston didn't look particularly energized on either side of the ball Sunday, but its offense will likely come through as the bigger letdown. The Celtics didn't necessarily take bad shots Sunday -- their regulars often got their usual looks -- but it felt like they could have gotten better looks at the rim. Whether it was fatigue (more on that in a minute) or another factor, the Celtics seemed content settling for outside shots. Through the first three quarters, Boston managed just 20 points in the paint, and had already turned the ball over 15 times.

FATIGUE PLAGUING CELTICS
The C's played like a tired bunch all night, perhaps finally feeling the effects of playing their fourth game in five nights. Even against a struggling team like Detroit, Sunday's game was going to be one of those grind-it-out affairs for the Celtics, but they were unable to dig in and fend off a Pistons team that refused to fade when it got a sizable lead.

RONDO'S STREAK
When it was clear victory was not an option, the Celtics focused on getting Rondo to 10 assists to continue his pursuit of John Stockton and Magic Johnson. Rondo entered the final frame with just six helpers, and it took him nearly the whole fourth quarter to reach double-figures. After Boston came up empty on a handful of its final possessions, Sullinger finally knocked down a straightaway jumper with under a minute left to secure Rondo's record. He's now recorded double figures in assists in 34 straight games and is steadily closing in on Stockton's record of 37 consecutive games, and is slowly gaining on Johnson's all-time record of 46.

BOLD PLAY OF THE GAME
As strange as it might seem, given the score of the game, Sullinger's jumper to secure Rondo's streak was one Boston's most important baskets. With the team flat all night, it was evident the Celtics just wanted to keep Rondo's record alive, and after Green and Terry couldn't put in baskets, Sullinger finally stepped up and canned a jumper from just above the free throw line.

WHAT IT MEANS
The Celtics wanted to finish off this four-games-in-five-nights stretch with a victory, but they'll have to settle for a frustrating loss instead. It's clear Boston needs a day off, which they'll get on Monday, before heading back to the practice floor on Tuesday. There aren't many positives Boston can pull away from this one, so better to just rest up and move on with two of their more difficult home games of the young season approaching this week: San Antonio on Wednesday and Oklahoma City on Friday.

112288

Celtics missed shots they usually hit. Pistons hit shots they usually miss.

4th game in 5 days. I am not worried about it at all.

Lack of energy is an understatement...was only watching to see if Rondo could get to 10 assists ...Which is a perfect example of what is wrong...stats...

Boardwalk Empire was great last night.

Dboss

dboss wrote:Lack of energy is an understatement...was only watching to see if Rondo could get to 10 assists ...Which is a perfect example of what is wrong...stats...

Boardwalk Empire was great last night.

Dboss

So was I, At the end that's about all there was to watch for....

beat

Not much good to say about this one. When you need Jared Sullinger to hit a 20' jumpshot from straight away with less than a minute left to get Rondo his 10th assist, that says it all.

Our 5th game in 7 days. We looked it. Jumpshots were short. Layups were short. We were late on closing out on shooters.

The Pistons were desperate to win this game before the home crowd, having been shut out in Auburn Hills so far this season. They played with great energy and effort.

1. Bass is struggling. He's picking up early fouls and affecting his game rhythm.

2. JET was O-fer from 3. This is the day after his bombing was as accurate as the US Air Force.

3. Sully started off looking very bad, in front of his parents too, but pulled it together in the 2nd half. Maybe it's because teams look at him and see an earthbound rebounder and think they can compete, but he doesn't seem to get many easy boards. There was one where he was struggling with two Pistons for the ball, I expected a jumpball to be called any second, and then Sully twisted his torso and just ripped the ball away from both of them. His play in the last few minutes saved Rondo's streak.

4. Four Piston starters were in double-digits scoring including Kyle Singler. Kyle freaking Singler? We're giving up 14 points to Kyle Singler? Yuck. Jason Maxiel, who has always been an energizer bunny against the Celtics, has developed a very, very nice jumpshot from 17-18'. That dramatically improves his overall game, which was already quite solid inside. He completely outworked Sully in the first half. Monroe is the best center in the NBA that nobody talks about.

5. The Celtics led the league in assists/game with over 25. We had 12 last night and Rondo had 10 of them. We got beat in every category. Every. Single. One.

No legs, no motion, no effort, no chance.


Time to just put this one behind us in the rear-view mirror and look forward to The Big Fundamental and the Spurs on Wednesday. Sleep well today Celtics. You played like you needed it last night.


bob


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btw, Rondo's last 4 assists, which kept his streak alive, were all to Sully in the 4th quarter.

He owes the kid dinner, minimum.

bob


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