In a primetime matchup, the Detroit Pistons knocked off the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 squad
On Monday night, the stage was set for two teams to square off in a potential preview of the Eastern Conference Finals later this season. The Boston Celtics arrived in Detroit ready to show the NBA that they’re not just the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference, but the Pistons had other ideas in mind.
Fresh off his coronation as an All-Star Game starter, Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham sensed that Monday’s matchup against the Celtics was laced with importance, and he rose to the occasion with 16 points, 14 assists and zero turnovers in what was a razor-thin 104-103 victory for Detroit.
“It’s been a good day,” Cunningham said after the win. “Obviously, it’s a blessing to be named an All-Star starter. All glory to God, super thankful for that, thankful for my team, my coaches, fans, everybody that voted for me. It means a lot. It means a ton for me and my family. And then tonight, just a battle, a 48-minute battle. Both teams really came with it, and to come out with this win was huge for us.”
Before the game tipped off, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was vocal about his plan to guard Cunningham and to lock up the Detroit All-Star, and in fairness he did begin the game by drawing the Cade assignment on defense. However, Cunningham got to his spots on the court, kept feeding center Jalen Duren alley-oops in the paint and eventually set his teammates up with enough open looks to pick up a big win over the Celtics.
To that effect, Pistons veteran forward Tobias Harris finished the game with 25 points in a matchup where Detroit desperately needed every bucket. Harris, who is now in his 15th season in the NBA, spent half of his time guarding Brown on one end before filling the hoop on the other end, and a lot of credit should go to Cunningham for setting up those open shots for Tobias.
As a result, the Pistons are now 31-10 at the halfway point of the 2025-26 regular season, which means that Detroit is on pace to win 62 games before entering the playoffs. The Pistons have defeated the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the Eastern Conference within the past three weeks, and Detroit won the season series over the Celtics by a 3-1 margin.
In the East, both the Celtics and the Knicks were looked upon as potential contenders before the season began, but the Pistons have quickly inserted themselves into the driver’s seat in the East after half of the season.
Right now, the Pistons are full of momentum with a three-game winning streak on the bounce. Can Detroit keep up this success and carry it into the playoffs? Keep checking back with Pistons Roundtable to find out as the season unfolds.
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