DETROIT, (Reuters) – The Boston Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak with a 105-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
Ray Allen led a strong team effort with 18 points while Rajon Rondo added 15 and 11 assists for the Celtics, who welcomed back All Star forward Paul Pierce after he missed the three previous games with a thumb injury.
“It’s a long season and you definitely have your ups and downs,” Allen told reporters. “When you hit a skid, you’ve just got to stick together and weather the storm.
“When everybody’s minds and hearts are in the right place, it recycles itself and you go on an upward swing.”
The game had been tied at 79-79 in the fourth before Boston went on a 10-2 run that gave them the advantage they held until the end. The Celtics scored 33 points in the final quarter.
Rookie Jonas Jerebko led the Pistons with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince scored 15 points each. The loss was Detroit’s fourth in a row.
The Celtics had lost three of their four previous games, which included a defeat to the NBA-worst New Jersey Nets.
Boston, who had also lost in their other match against Detroit this season, had opened an eight-point lead in the third before the Pistons tied it in the fourth.
The Celtics bench, however, responded with Nate Robinson’s two straight three-pointers helping the visitors an 89-81 advantage with 7:05 remaining.
Robinson finished with 14 points. Pierce had nine points, but attempted just seven shots, including one three-pointer.
