The Celtics lost Friday’s game against the Knicks after being outscored 42-14 in the second quarter despite making a strong comeback. New York’s seven fourth-quarter offensive rebounds helped to prevent the Celtics from finishing off the rally.
“We’ve got to figure out how to come up with those,” Brown said. “We’ve got to get a little bit more nasty on the glass. I think that was a deflator for us. Every time we went on a run when we were coming back, the offensive rebounds. So we’ve got to find out how to be more consistent in that manner.”
After a season-opening loss at Chicago, the Pistons went to Houston on Friday and displayed the type of grit that thrust them into last season’s playoffs. Starting center Jalen Duren was ejected in the first half for throwing an elbow. Reserves Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland fouled out, yet they pulled out a 115-111 victory over the Rockets.
“I think our guys lived up to what our motto for the season is,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “And what we wanted to do a good job of is controlling the chaos, and I think that’s what you saw out there on the floor. Last year, there were times where things got a little muddy and we let our emotions get the best of us. I think tonight we did a phenomenal job of, when the things got messy, we didn’t back down and shy away.”
Here’s your preview.
When: Sunday, 3:30 p.m.
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
TV, radio: NBCSB, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line: Detroit -4. O/U: 227.5.
CELTICS
Season record: 0-2. vs. spread: 0-2. Over/under: 1-1
Last 10 games: 4-6. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 5-4, 1 push
PISTONS
Season record: 1-1. vs. spread: 1-1. Over/under: 0-2
Last 10 games: 3-7. vs. spread: 3-7. Over/under: 5-5
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Boston 105.5, Detroit 113.0
Points allowed per game: Boston 111.0, Detroit 113.0
Field goal percentage: Boston .439, Detroit .455
Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .421, Detroit .418
3-point percentage: Boston .299, Detroit .365
Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .388, Detroit .404
Stat of the day: Brown is averaging a team-high 24.0 points through the first two games.
Notes: The Pistons’ game against Boston will kick off a three-game homestand; Cleveland and Orlando will travel to Detroit next. … Cade Cunningham, the 2021 No. 1 pick, scored a team-best 21 points for Detroit on Friday. … Joe Mazzulla said he thought his club was better against New York than it was against Philly in the opener. “We’re 12 minutes closer,” Mazzulla said. “We did it for 12 minutes last game, and I thought we did it for 20 to 24 today. So, 12 minutes closer. That’s what we have to figure out, and I told the guys, ’There are teams that can ease into the season, there are teams that can do that, but we have to have a sense of urgency to developing the identity that we need.’ And I thought they showed that in the second half.”
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her on Instagram at @katiemac.sports.
