The Boston Celtics took a tough one on the chin Monday night, falling to the Detroit Pistons in a game that exposed a familiar sore spot: their struggles on the defensive glass and the lack of a reliable backup big. It’s not the first time this issue has crept up, and unless something changes, it likely won’t be the last.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla has done an admirable job steering this team - he’s a Coach of the Year frontrunner for a reason - and his commitment to small-ball lineups has often paid off. The Celtics’ perimeter-heavy approach has unlocked their offensive versatility and spacing, and in most matchups, it’s been a winning formula. But against a physical, rebounding-heavy team like Detroit, that strategy ran into a wall.
The Pistons came into the game ranked second in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage (35.8%), and they played like it. On the other side, Boston now sits 29th in defensive rebounding after the loss.
That’s a recipe for trouble, and Monday night proved it. The Celtics simply couldn’t keep Detroit off the offensive glass, and it cost them dearly in second-chance points and momentum-swinging plays.
Josh Minott has been one of the bright spots this season - a high-energy, low-cost signing who’s earned every minute he’s gotten. But asking him to go toe-to-toe with Isaiah Stewart down low was a big ask. Stewart is one of the most physical rebounders in the league, and he made his presence felt throughout the night.
Interestingly, in their previous meeting with Detroit back on November 26, Mazzulla gave rookie big man Amari Williams a 15-minute run. While Williams didn’t light up the stat sheet, he brought needed size and presence in the paint - particularly on the defensive glass. So why not give him another shot?
Well, Williams is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right (non-shooting) hand, which likely played into the decision. But here’s the thing: just two nights before the Pistons game, Williams logged 25 minutes with the Maine Celtics, notching 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. That suggests the hand is at least functional enough for game action, even if he’s not 100%.
If Williams wasn’t an option, what about Xavier Tillman? The veteran big started against Cleveland on November 30 when Neemias Queta was sidelined, and he gave the Celtics 29 solid minutes in a win.
Since then, though, he’s barely seen the floor outside of garbage time. That’s a bit puzzling, especially considering he played a role during Boston’s recent five-game winning streak.
Now, it’s easy to second-guess after a loss. Hindsight always makes the chessboard clearer.
And to be fair, if Boston had just shot the ball at a league-average clip, they probably walk away with a win despite the rebounding issues. But in a game where the margin was razor-thin, the decision to ride small-ball all night instead of tapping into the back end of the big-man rotation felt like a misstep.
That doesn’t mean Mazzulla should abandon the small-ball approach - far from it. It’s been a big part of what’s made this Celtics team dangerous.
But maybe it’s time to start picking spots a little more carefully. When you’re facing a top-five offensive rebounding team like Detroit, it might be worth dusting off Tillman or giving Williams another look, even if it’s just for a few key stretches.
Looking at the bigger picture, Boston has now played Detroit three times this season, and every game has gone down to the wire. That says more about the Celtics than it does about the Pistons.
Boston has shown they can hang with anyone in the East, even when they’re not firing on all cylinders. And when Jayson Tatum is locked in - which, to be fair, he wasn’t Monday night - this is a team nobody wants to see in a playoff series.
The loss to Detroit stings, no doubt. But it also serves as a reminder: in a long season, even the best teams have to adapt. The Celtics are contenders, but to reach the next level, they’ll need to find answers when their go-to strategy runs into a matchup problem - especially on the boards.