Half-time report
There are only two quarters left between the Celtics and the victory they were favored to achieve tonight. They have a bit of a lead as they currently lead the Pistons 59-44.
If the Celtics continue to play like this, they will reach their 20-5 record in no time. On the other hand, the Pistons will have to settle for a 10-16 record unless they turn things around (and quickly).
Who’s playing
Detroit Pistons @ Boston Celtics
Current records: Detroit 10-15, Boston 19-5
How to watch
- When: Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Or: TD Garden – Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: TVNB
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $36.00
What you need to know
The Celtics will play the full four quarters on Thursday, but they should have things wrapped up well before then. Armed with a few days off, they will face the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden. The Celtics are strutting around with some offensive power as they have averaged 120.1 points per game this season.
The Celtics likely head into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering the Grizzlies just ended the team’s three-game winning streak on Saturday. They took a 127-121 hit in the loss column at the hands of Memphis.
Even though they lost, the Celtics broke the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. These were the most offensive rebounds they have posted since October.
Meanwhile, the Pistons hadn’t done well against the Knicks recently (they were 0-10 in their previous ten matchups), but they didn’t let the past get in their way Saturday. The Pistons won against the Knicks with a score of 120-111. This victory was a breath of fresh air for Detroit as it ended their three-game losing streak.
Cade Cunningham was a one-man wrecking crew for the Pistons when he shot 5 of 8 from downtown and had a triple-double with 29 points, ten rebounds and 15 assists. The dominant performance gave Cunningham a new career high in assists.
Boston’s loss ended a seven-game home winning streak and dropped them to 19-5. As for Detroit, their victory improved their record to 10-15.
Thursday’s game is shaping up to be a scrappy game: The Celtics haven’t given up the ball easily this season, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game (they’re ranked second in total turnovers per game). It’s a different story for the Pistons, as they have an average of 15.9. Given the Celtics’ considerable advantage in this area, the Pistons will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Celtics beat the Pistons 130-120 in their previous meeting last Wednesday. Do the Celtics have another win up their sleeve, or will the Pistons turn things around? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Boston is a big favorite with 12.5 points against Detroit, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers moved slightly against the Celtics, as the game opened with the Celtics as 14-point favorites.
The over/under is 227 points.
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History of the series
Boston has won every game they have played against Detroit over the last 2 years.
- December 4, 2024 – Boston 130 vs. Detroit 120
- October 26, 2024 – Boston 124 vs. Detroit 118
- March 22, 2024 – Boston 129 vs. Detroit 102
- March 18, 2024 – Boston 119 vs. Detroit 94
- December 28, 2023 – Boston 128 vs. Detroit 122
- February 15, 2023 – Boston 127 vs. Detroit 109
- February 06, 2023 – Boston 111 vs. Detroit 99
- November 12, 2022 – Boston 117 vs. Detroit 108
- November 9, 2022 – Boston 128 vs. Detroit 112
- March 11, 2022 – Boston 114 vs. Detroit 103