The Detroit Pistons traveled to Boston without three of their great men, but rookie striker Saddiq Bey took an important step.
Bey scored 30 points, the maximum in her brief career, and sank all seven attempts at 3 points on Friday, in the 108-102 victory over the Celtics at TD Garden.
Bey set a rookie record for the team at 3 points in one game. He’s just the fourth Pistons rookie to score 30 or more points in a game in the past 35 years.
Bey also led the team with 12 rebounds, which was important as the Pistons, in the second consecutive match, lost the injured centers Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor, as well as striker Sekou Doumbouya.
The Pistons (7-19) are 2-1 against the Celtics (13-12) this season.
Detroit got off to a slow start, with the Celtics moving out to a 12-2 lead. It looked like the Pistons would have a bad night, as two of their three-shot attempts came out of the basket. Newcomer Isaiah Stewart also suffered two initial fouls, forcing the Pistons to return to the bench early.
They sent young veteran Josh Jackson, who gave them a defensive spark that allowed the Pistons to recover. Jackson lost eight points in his first 10 minutes when he aggressively entered the painting. He scored 2 out of 4 overall, but found that his aggressive playing style was rewarded with five trips to the free throw line. He made four of the five free-throw attempts and ended the night with 14 points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Bey was not the only player to provide an offensive spark. For the fourth time this season, Delon Wright has exceeded the 20-point limit, all against some of the best teams in the league. Wright scored 22 points after scoring just six the night before in the Pistons’ loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Wright also had six rebounds and seven assists. The veteran point guard was another player who was unsettling for the Celtics and ended the night with a block and a theft.
Blake Griffin, playing on consecutive nights for the first time this season, added 12 points, six assists and four rebounds. Jerami Grant added 15 points and five scholarships.
The Pistons return to Little Caesars Arena on Sunday when they host the New Orleans Pelicans with Zion Williamson and former Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy.