Streaking Pistons rout the Celtics

By Canadian Press on February 26, 2025.

DETROIT (AP) — Malik Beasley scored 26 points, Cade Cunningham had 21 points and 11 assists and the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 117-97 on Wednesday night in a matchup of two of the NBA’s hottest teams.

The Pistons (33-26) won their eighth straight and ended a 12-game losing streak against Boston, two nights after stopping a 10-game skid against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points for Boston, and Derrick White and Payton Pritchard each had 18. Boston (42-17) had won six straight and 10 of 11.

Jalen Duren added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit. The Pistons had a 49-33 rebounding edge.

PACERS 111, RAPTORS 91

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 11 assists to help Indiana beat Toronto.

Haliburton was 12 of 15 from the field, going 7 of 9 from 3-point range. Myles Turner added 18 points and 10 rebounds and Pascal Siakam had 15 points.

Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points for Toronto. RJ Barrett and Jonathan Mogbo each had 16.

Haliburton scored 17 points in the first half to lead Indiana to a 51-41 lead.

Toronto played without Scottie Barnes because if a left hip contusion. He played Tuesday night against Boston.

KNICKS 110, 76ERS 105

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 34 points and seven assists, Mikal Bridges scored 28 points and New York held off Philadelphia.

OG Anunoby had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Josh Hart added seven points, 17 rebounds and four assists for the Knicks, who won for the fourth time in six games and 11th in their last 15.

Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points for Philadelphia, which lost its ninth straight. Paul George had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Kelly Oubre Jr added 27 points.

TRAILBLAZERS 129, WIZARDS 121

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shaedon Sharpe threw down a vicious one-handed slam that was immediately hailed as one of the best dunks of the season, part of a career-best 36-point performance that carried Portland to a win over Washington.

Sharpe shot 13 of 26 from the floor and and converted all four of his free throws inside the final minute as the Trail Blazers maintained a lead of at least three throughout the fourth quarter.

Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson each added 16 points for Portland, which began the night 4 1/2 games back of Sacramento for the the Western Conference’s final play-in spot.

Jordan Poole scored 24 points for NBA-worst Washington, which was attempting to win back-to-back games for the first time since winning three in a row to begin the month. Richaun Holmes added a career-high 20 points and Corey Kispeprt also scored 20.

THUNDER 129, NETS 121

NEW YORK (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, Chet Holmgren had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Oklahoma City rebounded from a stunning collapse with a game-changing blitz in the fourth quarter to beat Brooklyn.

Aaron Wiggins added 24 points and Jalen Williams had 22 for the Thunder, who were playing for the first time since their 131-128 loss to Minnesota on Monday, when they led by 24 points in the fourth quarter and were still ahead by 16 with under 4 minutes remaining in regulation.

They had some of the same defensive woes in this one, when they allowed a season-high 76 points in the first half and trailed by 18. But then they unleased an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter, turning a 103-99 deficit into a 117-103 lead. Oklahoma City outscored Brooklyn 27-7 to begin the period.

Day’Ron Sharpe scored a career-high 25 points in his first start of the season for the Nets, adding 15 rebounds and five assists. Killian Hayes had a season-best 19 points and Cam Johnson also scored 19.

HEAT 131, HAWKS 109

MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 24 points and added 10 assists, Duncan Robinson scored 24 points off the bench and Miami shot a season-best 59% in a win over Atlanta.

Davion Mitchell made all five of his 3-point tries and scored 20 for the Heat, who got 20 points and nine rebounds from Bam Adebayo.

Miami made 23 3-pointers, one shy of the franchise record. The Heat had 39 assists on 45 field goals.

Dyson Daniels scored 18 points and Trae Young and Caris LeVert each had 17 for the Hawks — who gave up 65 points in the first half, then 66 more in the second half.

The Associated Press