Pistons Dominate Second Half to Stun Celtics, Extend Win Streak to Eight

The Detroit Pistons continued their hot streak with a commanding 117-97 victory over the Boston Celtics, snapping Boston’s six-game winning streak while securing their eighth straight win. Tied 55-55 at halftime, the Pistons took control in the second half, outscoring the defending champs 62-42.

Malik Beasley led the charge with 26 points, sinking six three-pointers, while Cade Cunningham added 21 points and 11 assists. Detroit’s defense proved crucial down the stretch, holding Boston to just 18 points in the fourth quarter, marking the Celtics’ second-largest loss of the season.

Despite Jayson Tatum’s 27 points and four three-pointers—making him the first Celtic to surpass 200 triples in four consecutive seasons—Boston struggled to crack Detroit’s tenacious defense. The Pistons, historically known for their gritty play, last won eight straight games in the 2007-08 season when they boasted the league’s best defense en route to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

Detroit’s defensive dominance has been key to its resurgence, ranking second in defensive rating since the New Year and first during this current win streak.

“That’s what we hang our hat on, is grit,” Cunningham said postgame. “That’s our identity. We’re just trying to exceed everyone else’s energy.”

Now just one game behind the Indiana Pacers for fourth place in the East, the Pistons have firmly established themselves as one of the conference’s toughest teams.