The Boston Celtics let one slip away on Monday night, dropping a 112-105 decision at home to the Detroit Pistons-a team that’s been in the basement for most of the season. For a Celtics squad with championship aspirations, this one stings.
They led for much of the night, but when it mattered most-the fourth quarter-they couldn’t close the door. That’s been a troubling trend, as Boston now falls to 7-8 in clutch games this season.
Jaylen Brown, who was otherwise dominant, didn’t shy away from accountability. He shouldered the blame postgame, pointing to his struggles at the free-throw line down the stretch.
Brown finished with 34 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks-an all-around performance that should’ve been enough. But he went just 7-for-14 at the line, missing several key attempts in the final minutes.
“We’ve got to be better. I’ve got to be better.
I wasn’t good enough for my team tonight. So, that’s on me,” Brown said.
That kind of leadership-owning the moment, even when the box score tells a different story-says a lot about Brown’s mindset. He’s not just trying to score; he’s trying to win, and he knows the margin for error in this league is razor-thin.
Derrick White, who had himself a night with 31 points in one of his strongest outings of the season, wasn’t about to let Brown take the full weight of the loss.
“That’s kind of what makes him special,” White said. “Thirty-something [points] and he still wants to do better for us.
He’s probably his toughest critic, and we know that he’s going to bounce back and continue to do special things for us. Obviously, this loss isn’t on him.
It’s on all of us, and we got his back.”
That’s the kind of locker room chemistry that good teams lean on when adversity hits. White’s words weren’t just about encouragement-they were a reminder that basketball is a team game, and while stars carry a heavy load, they can’t do it alone.
And that was part of the issue Monday night. Outside of Brown and White, the Celtics didn’t get much from the rest of the roster.
The supporting cast combined for just 40 points on 15-of-39 shooting, including a rough 4-for-22 from beyond the arc. When two of your top guys put up 65 points and you still lose, it’s a sign the offensive balance just wasn’t there.
Boston now has a few days to regroup before they face the Miami Heat on Friday. On paper, it’s a good opportunity-the Heat have been struggling through December-but the Celtics haven’t exactly thrived with extended rest this season. That layoff rhythm has been tricky, and it’s something they’ll need to figure out as the schedule tightens and playoff positioning becomes more critical.
For now, the focus is on getting back to the basics-closing games, hitting free throws, and finding more consistency from the role players. Because while December losses don’t define a season, they can reveal the cracks that need fixing before the games start to really count.