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The Detroit Pistons realized after a few minutes that things weren't working offensively. So they just relied on their always trusty defense.
Tayshaun Prince scored seven of his 13 points during a key 11-0 run in the fourth quarter and the Pistons overcame their own weak shooting by holding Boston to a season-low point total in a 78-68 win over the Celtics on Monday night.
``We love to push the ball. We love to score,'' Prince said. ``We knew it wouldn't be our night when we started out slow. Luckily, they started out slowly too.''
The win was the sixth straight for the Pistons, who have held their opponents under 100 points in all 35 of their games this season. They have done it 37 consecutive times dating back to last season.
``We won this one playing defense,'' Detroit's Richard Hamilton said. ``We didn't let our offense dictate our defense. We just came out and really played aggressive defense.''
The Pistons missed their first six shots and didn't get their first basket until the game was nearly 5 1/2 minutes old.
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Boston shot a season-low 29.3 percent in the game, including just 9-for-34 on
3-pointers. The Pistons finished 41 percent from the floor overall, but just
1 for 12 on 3-point attempts.
Ben Wallace scored 12 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Detroit, and Hamilton scored 15 points. Elden Campbell added 13 points for the Pistons.
Paul Pierce paced Boston with 27 points, but made only 10 of 25 shots. Boston scored only three points in the game's final eight minutes.
``I thought we did a pretty good job of contesting shots,'' Detroit coach Larry Brown said. ``If (Paul Pierce) is going to get 27 points you've got to make him take a lot of shots.''
The Celtics' 34 3-point attempts were a season high.
``I thought we had a bad night,'' Boston coach Jim O'Brien said. ``We did not shoot the ball very well.''
Prince's short jumper with 7:31 to go broke a 65-all tie and sparked the game-breaking Pistons' run. Prince added a three-point play and jumper during the spurt, giving Detroit a 76-65 lead with a little over four minutes left.
AP - Jan 5, 9:31 pm EST
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The Celtics, who trailed 62-52 after three quarters, began the fourth by scoring
13 of the first 16 points. They tied the score at 65-65 on Pierce's 3-pointer
with 8:05 to play.
``We had momentum and then the shots just wouldn't fall,'' Pierce said. ``A lot of looks I'll take any given night. It just didn't fall tonight.''
Detroit, which held a four-point halftime edge, opened the second half with a 6-0 run to push its lead to double digits for the first time.
After Boston cut it to 50-45 on Pierce's driving basket, the Pistons went ona 9-0 spree and opened a 14-point advantage on a basket by Wallace.
Notes
Boston's previous low point total was 73 in a loss to New Orleans at home on Nov. 19. The Celtics' prior low shooting game was 32.9 percent in an 89-82 home loss to Chicago on Nov. 11. ... Boston hit only one of its first 11 shots and Detroit went 2-for-12 to begin the game. ... The Celtics heard a smattering of boos when they left the floor at the end of the half after shooting just 28.6 percent (12 of 42). ... Boston center Vin Baker was scoreless for the second straight game. ... Pierce was whistled for a technicalearly in the fourth quarter.