Rookie reserve Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 30 points, making all seven of his 3-point attempts in the process, and the visiting Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics 108-102 on Friday.
Bey’s seven 3-pointers set a Pistons record for a rookie. He also pulled down 13 rebounds.
Delon Wright had 22 points and seven assists, while Jerami Grant supplied 15 points and six rebounds. Josh Jackson added 14 points and Blake Griffin chipped in 12 points, six assists and three rebounds for Detroit.
Jayson Tatum carried Boston with 33 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Jaylen Brown had 27 points and six rebounds and Daniel Theis added 11 points with nine rebounds.
The Celtics rested starting point guard Kemba Walker. Forward Semi Ojeleye left the game in the second half with a sore right knee.
Detroit center Mason Plumlee missed his second straight game with bursitis in his right elbow.
Boston dominated the first four minutes of the game and the last 2 1/2 minutes of the second half. In between, the Pistons were in control.
It resulted in a two-point Detroit lead, 54-52, at the break.
Griffin drew three charges and also knocked down two 3-pointers in the third quarter. When Bey came off the bench and drained another long ball, the Pistons were up by eight.
That shot started a 10-2 Detroit run to make it 82-69. Bey also finished off the outburst with his sixth 3-pointer.
Jeff Teague knocked down a long ball seconds before the end of the quarter, cutting Detroit’s lead to 10 entering the fourth.
A 10-2 Celtics run that included two Theis baskets closed the gap to five, 87-82.
Detroit nudged the advantage to eight with four minutes remaining. A Brown basket and two Tatum free throws cut it in half. Theis drilled two free throws with 2:10 left to make it 95-93.
Jackson answered with a 3-pointer and Tatum responded with a layup.
Wright found Bey open on the wing for another 3-pointer with 38.7 seconds left to double the Pistons’ advantage to six, 101-95.
Detroit made enough free throws to close it out.
–Field Level Media