Despite missing four players, including two starters, the Boston Celtics delivered what could be their best defensive performance of the season in a 108-89 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla will surely be looking for a similar effort when the Celtics face the visiting Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis (injury management), Jrue Holiday (left knee), Al Horford (toe sprain), and Sam Hauser (personal reasons), yet they held Miami to just 35.6 percent shooting from the field (31 of 87).
This game marked the first time this season that the Celtics held an opponent to less than 90 points and also the first time a Boston opponent shot under 40 percent from the floor.
Porzingis and Horford are expected to return on Wednesday, while Holiday and Jayson Tatum (right knee) are listed as questionable.
Luke Kornet started at center and led the Celtics’ defensive effort, tying his career high with six blocked shots.
Boston’s Payton Pritchard continued to make his case for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, hitting 5 of 12 three-point attempts and scoring 25 points against the Heat. Pritchard has come off the bench to score at least 20 points in each of the team’s past four games.
Despite a 3-1 record in NBA Cup group play, the Celtics were eliminated from the event following Tuesday’s results.
The Pistons were also knocked out of the NBA Cup after a 128-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 23 points, as the team finished 3-1 in group play.
Tobias Harris (16 points), Tim Hardaway (15), and Jalen Duren (11) also scored in double figures for the Pistons, who gave up 78 points in the first half and trailed by 19 at halftime.
The Pistons have lost their last two games and six of their last eight. Meanwhile, the Celtics have won eight of their last nine overall and are on a five-game home winning streak.
