BOSTON • A big man cannot do much more than Andre Drummond did for the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.
"It might be the best game he's played overall at both ends of the floor since I've been there," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy declared.
Drummond had season highs of 26 points and 22 rebounds, adding six assists and four steals to help the Pistons (13-6) to a 118-108 National Basketball Association (NBA) victory over the Boston Celtics in a battle of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
"I probably agree with that," Drummond said of his coach's assessment. "Tonight was just a great night overall for all of us. We really wanted to beat these guys. We gave them our best shot and came out with a great win."
Tobias Harris, an offensive force for Detroit this season, scored 31 points, as the Pistons went on a late 13-3 run to put the game away.
The result spoiled the start of Boston's five-game home stand and ended the Celtics' eight-game winning streak at home.
"I think if you look across the league, they've been a tough matchup for a lot of teams," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "They're well-coached, they run good stuff, I love what they're doing.
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40 Years since a Detroit Pistons player (Bob Lanier in 1977) last accumulated at least 25 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in a game.
"Drummond has greatly improved as a playmaker out of the high post, which is a big difference from what he's done in the past.
"Tobias Harris' improvement has been tremendous."
It was the first meeting of the teams since the Celtics (18-4) sent Avery Bradley to Detroit along with a second-round pick in exchange for Marcus Morris during the off-season.
Bradley, welcomed back by the TD Garden crowd, and Morris both scored 13 points. Bradley also added five assists.
For Drummond, it was his fourth time he had 22 rebounds in 10 career games in the building.
He was also given the task of hassling Boston's summer acquisition Kyrie Irving, who was just six of 16 from the floor and one of six from three-point range while turning the ball over six times. The Boston guard finished with 18 points.
The 118 points were easily the most allowed this season by the Celtics. The 60 they gave up in the first half is also a season high.
Boston's Marcus Smart, who entered the game shooting 29.1 per cent from the floor and 25 per cent from three-point range, scored a season-high 23 points and went six for nine from three-point range.
He also had six assists. Daniel Theis added 12 points off the Boston bench, and Jayson Tatum had 10 points and four assists.
In Oakland, Bogdan Bogdanovic hit a driving banker over Draymond Green with 12.6 seconds left to break a tie and lift the Sacramento Kings to a 110-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The champions, who were playing without Stephen Curry (bruised right hand) and Kevin Durant (sprained left ankle), led 106-102 before the Kings scored the game's last eight points over the final 3min 8sec.
Willie Cauley-Stein had 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the Kings. Klay Thompson paced the Warriors with 21 points.
REUTERS
