Pistons 107, Celtics 106
BOSTON -- The Detroit Pistons wiped out a 21-point, first-half deficit and pulled out a wild 107-106 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Guard Brandon Jennings hit a contested 3-pointer with 46.7 seconds left to put Detroit ahead to stay.
With Boston down by two, Celtics forward/center Jared Sullinger was fouled but made just one of two free throws with 41.5 seconds to play. The Celtics had a chance to win at the end, but they squandered 12 seconds, then called a timeout before a wild runner by forward Jeff Green failed.
The Celtics, the first-place team in the dreadful Atlantic Division, blew their big first-half lead and then fell behind by seven points with 2:57 left before scoring eight straight points, five by Sullinger, to move back in front. However, Sullinger's 3-pointer with 1:01 left was Boston's last basket of the game.
Jennings led all scorers with 28 points and added 14 assists. Detroit forward Josh Smith, coming off two consecutive 30-point games, rallied late to finish with 20 points. Center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Pistons (13-14).
Sullinger led the Celtics (12-15) with 19 points and eight rebounds, while guard Jordan Crawford led the rest of the list of seven Celtics in double figures with 17 points. He also had six assists and four rebounds.
Two nights after winning at a road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers, the Pistons found themselves in a big second-quarter hole. They used an 11-0 third-quarter rally to get back into it but didn't take their first lead until late in the quarter.
The Pistons, a strong rebounding team, lost the battle of the boards 41-36.
NOTES: Trade winds are blowing around the Celtics. A day after a the Sacramento Kings were reportedly putting together a multi-player offer for G Rajon Rondo (getting closer to a return from knee surgery), the Celtics were reportedly in talks with the Houston Rockets for C Omer Asik. F Brandon Bass, a Boston starter, and G Courtney Lee were the names bouncing around, but there was also talk of a third team getting involved. Bass refused comment before Wednesday night's game, but Lee, a former Rocket, said, "I only know what y'all know. It's part of the game. It happens. I've been involved in trade rumors my whole career so I don't pay attention until it happens." ... Detroit G Rodney Stuckey missed the game with a shoulder injury; while G Chauncey Billups, the former Celtic who sat out the win at Indiana because, at 37, he rests on the back end of back-to-backs, was back. He scored six points. ... The Pistons host the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night, while the Celtics complete their five-game homestand with a Saturday matinee against the Washington Wizards.
