Jayson Tatum, Celtics get best of Pistons once again

Jayson Tatum had another big game against Detroit with 34 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and the visiting Boston Celtics defeated the Pistons 111-99 on Monday night.

Tatum also surpassed the 30-point mark in Boston's first two games against Detroit this season. He had 31 points in a 128-112 win over the Pistons on Nov. 9 and 43 points in a 117-108 triumph three days later.

Derrick White had 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Malcolm Brogdon contributed 16 points off the bench. Robert Williams III added 15 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Sam Hauser scored 15 points -- all in the first half -- in his first career NBA start.

Boston's second-leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, missed the game due to a non-COVID illness.

Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 21 points. Killian Hayes had 17 points and nine assists, while Saddiq Bey and Jaden Ivey added 14 points apiece.

Hauser drained five of his six 3-point attempts in the first half, lifting the Celtics to a 60-53 halftime advantage. White also had 15 points along with four assists, while Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 12 points. Hauser's last 3-pointer of the half was part of a 7-0 Boston spurt after the Pistons pulled within two points.

Boston opened the second half with an 11-2 run to take a 71-55 lead. White had a three-point play and an assist and Tatum knocked down two 3-pointers during that sequence.

A Tatum layup upped the Celtics' lead to 75-57. When Tatum buried a 3-pointer with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter, Boston's lead was up to 23 at 88-65. Tatum reached the 30-point mark with a layup in the final minute of the period, giving the Celtics a 90-72 lead.

Detroit climbed back with a 17-5 run to start the fourth quarter. Hayes was the catalyst, as he racked up three 3-pointers and three assists during the outburst.

White made a 3-pointer with 4:18 left to restore a double-digit advantage at 103-93. The Pistons could get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

—Field Level Media/Reuters