Grant's late show fires Pistons past the Celtics
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NEW YORK • Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey was thrilled with Jerami Grant, after the forward helped the team end their eight-game losing streak in the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Wednesday night.
The 27-year-old hit a game-winning jumper with 19.6 seconds left to cap a 24-point night and propel the Pistons to a 112-111 win over hosts Boston Celtics, who entered the game with nine straight wins.
"Jerami was that guy taking us down the stretch. He made some big, big hoops and some great cuts to the basket," Casey said.
"It was a big-time performance by Jerami. Not only did he score, but he did a nice job on (Jayson) Tatum also (defensively)."
The game featured 25 lead changes and 15 ties.
Boston quickly turned around a six-point deficit with 9min 44sec to play by going on a 13-0 run that included a pair of Grant Williams three-pointers.
But Detroit never went away, despite having losing their last eight matches by an average of 16.1 points.
The Celtics led 106-98 with 4:25 to play before the visitors went on a 12-2 run to take a two-point lead.
Al Horford hit a corner trey to lift Boston, but Grant responded with the winner.
Tatum missed a potential fadeaway winner with 1.7sec left.
"Getting this win going into the (All-Star) break will give us a little confidence," said Grant, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, making all five shots he attempted in the period.
He led the Pistons while Saddiq Bey and Cade Cunningham had 20 points and six assists apiece. Bey also had a game-high 11 rebounds and two steals.
Boston's Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 31 points, while Tatum netted 22 and Williams 17 with four three-pointers. Horford had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
"They came to play. They were the more deserving team tonight," said Brown of their opponents.
Two of Boston's usual starters, Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) and Robert Williams (right calf tightness), did not play after being listed as questionable.
The result means the Celtics are sixth in the Eastern Conference on 34-26, while the Pistons (13-45) are 14th.
REUTERS
