The defending NBA champions, Boston Celtics, have started the season strong with two impressive victories. They look poised for another double-digit win as they visit Detroit on Saturday.
The Celtics have dominated their recent matchups with the Pistons, winning their last nine meetings. Detroit, currently 0-2 this season, is coming off its worst campaign in franchise history, with its last win against Boston being a narrow 112-111 victory on February 16, 2022. Boston began the season by overwhelming the New York Knicks 132-109, tying the league record with 29 made 3-pointers. They followed up with a 122-102 win over the Washington Wizards, pulling away decisively in the third quarter. Jayson Tatum has been stellar, averaging 31 points, 7.5 rebounds, and eight assists per game, while Jaylen Brown is contributing 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals, including a 27-point performance on his 28th birthday.
Detroit has struggled, losing their opener 115-109 to the Indiana Pacers and 113-101 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and six assists against Cleveland but also had nine turnovers, with the team committing 22 overall. Despite shooting well, the Pistons need more production from Tobias Harris, who is averaging 11.5 points after a 17.2 scoring average last season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Celtics are on a road-heavy stretch, playing six of seven games away, and are looking to maintain their early momentum against a struggling Pistons team.
