The Boston Celtics (35-42) and the Detroit Pistons (30-47) are both desperate for a playoff ticket. The Celtics have a better chance than Detroit, as they are currently in the eighth spot of the Eastern Conference standings. As for the Pistons, they’ll have to win out and hope that Boston loses all its remaining games if they are to make it into the postseason. Will Boston beat Detroit on Wednesday and send the Pistons out of playoff contention? Read on for more about this game. You can also click here for the preview of Warriors vs Pelicans.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Based on how they’re playing, the Celtics aren’t thinking much of the NBA Draft. Their focus, instead, is on making the playoffs. The Celtics made that apparent on Saturday, when they beat the Toronto Raptors on the road. With the victory, Boston is now 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in its last four games away from Beantown.
Boston’s win over Toronto was a product of the Celtics’ balanced scoring, as six Celtics scored in double figures. Tyler Zeller led the starters with 20 points to add to his nine rebounds, while the bench got big numbers from Kelly Olynyk and Isaiah Thomas, who scored 16 and 25 points respectively.
Thomas wasn’t around when Detroit beat Boston 105-97 on March 22, as he was then healing from a back ailment. But with the guard back in the lineup, expect the Celtics to get better scoring support from their bench that averages 40.7 points per game—third highest in the league. Thomas is averaging 24 points over Boston’s last three games. On the season, he is putting up 16.2 points a game.
Defensively, Boston must show up with its usually effective transition defense against Detroit. In the two teams’ last meeting, Boston allowed Detroit to score 15 fast break points. That’s close to four points better than the 11.1 fast break points per game average of Boston’s opponents.
Unlike Boston, the Pistons’ chances to get into the playoffs are near kaput. Nevertheless, look for Reggie Jackson to continue playing well when Detroit takes on the surging Celtics.
Jackson impressed anew on Saturday, as he scored 29 points and dished out 11 assists in Detroit’s 99-98 win versus the Miami Heat. Jackson’s performance came just a day after he posted 22 points and nine assists in an 88-82 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
For a high-scoring guard like Jackson, facing Boston’s lax backcourt defense is something to feel excited about Wednesday’s ball game.
See, Boston is allowing opposing guards to score 43.3 points per game (eighth most in the league). In the Pistons’ aforementioned victory over Boston, Jackson and backcourt mate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for 44 points. That’s not including the 20 points contributed by Spencer Dinwiddie and Jodie Meeks off the bench. Don’t be surprised if Detroit’s guards come up big again against Boston.
As for the team’s frontline, Greg Monroe’s return to the lineup means Detroit is bound to improve on its rebounding after Boston outrebounded them the last time both teams met, 59-56. Monroe is Detroit’s second-best rebounder this season, as he’s averaging 10.4 boards per game. Monroe will be a very big help for Andre Drummond, who scored 18 points and hauled down 22 rebounds in a losing effort in their last meeting with Boston.
