Pistons: Close Games & Emerging Leadership

The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference right now, a statement that was difficult to refute yesterday but is practically undeniable today. And not only because the direct competition collapses, but because of the image that both have given in their face to face this morning, which has fallen on the side of Michigan by 104-103.

A result that reinforces, obviously, the Pistons, more leaders after the victory, but also the Celtics. Because Mazzulla’s men were there and they leave with the feeling that the crash could have gone down for anyone. A phrase that, as the ball bounced off the Little Caesars Arena hoop, was completely literal.

After a very tough encounter, with continuous fighting and suffocating defenses, the clutch It was a continuous exchange of blows between Jaylen Brown, the game’s top scorer with 32 points, and Tobias Harris, who emerged as a local benchmark with two decisive triples. The first, to regain the advantage and make it 99-97 with three minutes left; the second, to expand said income and bring the score to 104-99. A difference that, as would be discovered shortly after, was enough. But no one knew it yet.

And they couldn’t imagine it either when Brown, who had scored the last six visitors’ goals, received, reached the middle distance and rose above Harris, who did what he could to bother him. The shot crashed into the rim, but, as if the tension had not been enough, it rose vertically and forced those present to hold their breath for another second while the horn declared the end of the clash.

A touch on the board. Another bounce off the rim. Out. The Pistons won.

Cade, no but yes

Detroit thus took the victory despite the fact that Cade Cunningham had a rather poor game in terms of scoring, since, with his 4/17 in field goals, he could not go beyond 16 points. With Jaylen Brown, who was not content with being the leader in attack, he also took charge of being his main defender, putting him against the ropes, the point guard had an inefficient night in which he had serious problems scoring. And yet, to stop at that alone would be to not tell the whole story.

And the point guard, who was celebrating his selection as a starter for the All-Star Game, did shine as a generator, distributing 14 assists that allowed his teammates to score the points that he couldn’t. Aggressive on the dribble, he did not let his poor percentages weigh him down, and continued to be aggressive to force the assists to come for him and free up the rest’s shots. In fact, this is how Harris’ two decisive triples came, and he did not hesitate to recognize his teammate.

«With the experience he has acquired, we all trust him. Today he may not have had his best night, but he has always continued to do the right thing. “Those are the plays that give life to the rest of the teammates.”

(Cover photo: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)