Celtics make it back-to-back wins

The Celts follow up a victory over the Sixers by beating the Detroit Pistons, 118-110, heading into the All-Star break.

BOSTON – The Celtics have reached the week-long NBA All-Star Game break on a positive note.

After kicking away leads of 18 and 28 points in ugly home losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers last week, the Celtics bounced back this week with a pair of victories on back-to-back nights.

Playing for the second straight game without Kyrie Irving – and his backup, Terry Rozier – the Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons, 118-110, Wednesday night at the TD Garden.

Following Tuesday night’s impressive road victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics came right back and ended the Pistons’ four-game winning streak. Irving (strained knee) and Rozier (illness) were not available, so Gordon Hayward moved into the starting lineup with Marcus Smart at the point.

The Celtics, who are idle until opening a three-game road trip in Milwaukee next Thursday night, are 37-21 at the break. They are one game behind the third-place Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference.

Jayson Tatum was one of six players in double figures with 19 points while Jaylen Brown continued his strong play, adding 17 points and seven rebounds.

Smart, who had been in a long-distance shooting slump, scored 14 of his 16 points in the third quarter when the Celtics opened a 20-point lead. Hayward, playing his second strong game in a row, had 11 of his 18 points in the first half and dished out eight assists while Al Horford flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, a season-best 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Marcus Morris hit a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch to help hold off the Pistons and wound up with 11 points.

The Celtics also got key contributions off the bench from Semi Ojeleye, Daniel Theis and Brad Wanamaker.

Blake Griffin scored 20 first-half points for the Pistons and finished with 32 while Andre Drummond had 21 points and 17 rebounds.

The Celtics took the lead for good at 53-52 late in the first half after falling behind by 11 points in the opening quarter.

After being in front by 28 (100-72) when Tatum made a 3-pointer with 9:37 remaining, the Celtics were outscored, 20-2, over a span of 4:58 as the Pistons threw a scare into them.

But instead of another collapse at home, the Celtics snapped out of it with Horford and Morris both delivering 3-pointers with under four minutes to go to make it 108-92.

Smart, who had only two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the first half, found his shooting touch again in the third quarter. He had 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and made four straight 3-pointers before an air ball late in the quarter.

Smart hit three in a row in a span of 1:54 when the Celtics moved in front, 85-68, and they were up, 91-72, going into the final quarter. The Celtics outscored the Pistons, 34-20, in the third quarter to widen what had been a five-point halftime advantage.

After finishing the first quarter by outscoring the Pistons, 15-5, the Celtics opened the second quarter by scoring the first eight points, getting two baskets from Brown and 3-pointers from Tatum and Ojeleye for a 40-31 edge.

The Pistons moved in front, 51-50, later in the quarter but the Celtics held a 57-52 advantage at the break.

The Celtics began the game on an 8-0 run in the first 2:33 with Hayward scored two quick baskets, but the Pistons answered to open a double-digit lead in the first quarter.

Griffin scored 13 of his points in the first 12 minutes as the Pistons outscored the Celtics, 24-5, over a span of 6:14 for a 24-13 lead. Drummond was difficult to stop inside during that time.

The Celtics then closed the quarter with a 15-5 advantage in the last 2:40, a spree that began with a 3-pointer by Ojeleye and also included a 3-pointer by Wanamaker.

Irving and Tatum will head to Charlotte, North Carolina, for All-Star Weekend. Irving was selected to play on LeBron James’ team while Tatum will take part in the skills competition and be in Friday night’s game featuring rookies and second-year players.