BOSTON CELTICS

Bam Adebayo scored 31 points with 10 rebounds to lead Miami to a 109-103 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Heat guard Jimmy Butler will not play in the second half of Game 3 of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with Boston because of inflammation in his right knee.

The Celtics will be without center Robert Williams III will be out for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Heat due to soreness and swelling in his left knee.

As the Eastern Conference Finals shifts to Boston for the first time, the Boston Celtics look to build off their big win in game two against the top team in the East in the Miami Heat on Saturday night. EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Series tied 1-1)The Celtics responded well after dropping the opening game of the series, jumping out in front of the Heat in a big way. Miami kept things a little more reasonable in the second half, but the Celtics cruised to a 127-102 victory. To no one’s surprise, Jimmy Butler led the floor, scoring 29 points for the Heat in the losing effort. The series now heads to Boston, where the Celtics are 4-2 this postseason, while the Heat are 2-3 away from FTX Arena in these playoffs.

The NBA has two big media rights deals expiring after the 2024 season. The question is: Will the league strike agreements with streaming services?

Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics was the leading vote-getter for the All-Defensive first team, with Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns joining him as the other guard.

The Boston Celtics got outworked by the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals but returned the favor in Game 2.

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown each scored 24 and the Boston Celtics dominated the first half to roll past the Miami Heat 127-102 and tie the Eastern Conference finals at a game apiece.

After a convincing win on Tuesday night, the Miami Heat are looking to take two-game lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final series with the Boston Celtics. EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL(2) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Miami Heat (Heat lead 1-0)It was the Jimmy Butler Show once again in the series opener. No other Heat player hit over 20 points in Tuesday night’s contest, however Butler helped the Heat rally from being down 13, including outscoring the Celtics 39-14 in the third quarter. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)Butler led the floor with 41 points, ending up shooting 63.2% from the floor. He became the first player in Miami Heat history to hit 40+ points three times in a single postseason, something not even Dwayne Wade or LeBron James accomplished.

Al Horford and Marcus Smart are coming back.

Placeholder while article actions loadThe National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs are getting serious. (The Heat won Game 1, 118-107.) Doncic will have his hands full in the Western Conference championship with Golden State, which won Game 1 on Wednesday, 112-87. The Warriors have a core of players — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — who won NBA championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018. The conference championships and NBA Finals are the best players on the best teams playing in the best league in the world.

Things have been working out just fine so far in this postseason for Jimmy Butler and the top-seeded Miami Heat.

Jimmy Butler scored 41 points, and the Miami Heat turned things around with a huge third quarter on the way to beating the shorthanded Boston Celtics 118-107 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night.

Boston will be without two starters for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, with Al Horford entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols and Marcus Smart unable to play because of a mid-foot sprain.

The final four of the NBA Playoffs are set. Starting on Tuesday night, the two best teams in the Eastern Conference meet to begin their best-of-seven series, as the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics vie to return to the Finals. EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL(2) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Miami Heat (Game 1)The Heat are looking to go back to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years, and have looked like a fairly confident group heading into this series. Coming into the conference finals, Butler is fourth in points-per-game in the playoffs, averaging 28.7 a game, which is second among remaining players. Miami also beat Boston in the 2012 conference finals.

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka and Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra have enormous respect for each other and a bond that stems from their shared history in the sport.

The Milwaukee Bucks and star Giannis Antetokounmpo wilted in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series and saw their hopes of repeat NBA championships come to an end.

Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points and hit seven 3-pointers, Jayson Tatum added 23 and the Boston Celtics set a Game 7 record with 22 3-pointers to eliminate the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 109-81 on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The second round of the NBA Playoffs will finish up on Sunday, with a couple of exciting Game 7′s on tap, featuring the league’s best team on the brink of elimination. EASTERN CONFERENCE(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Game 7)The Celtics managed to drag this series into a seventh game, thanks to a dominating performance from Jayson Tatum on the road Friday night. The Bucks are almost in an identical spot where they were last season, as they had to knock off the Brooklyn Nets in seven in the second round on their way to the championship. The Celtics have won three out of their last four Game 7′s, including a win over the Toronto Raptors in 2020. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (1) Phoenix Suns (Game 7)Time: 8 p.m.

The NBA’s long regular season can be tedious, but make no mistake, it matters.

Jayson Tatum scored 46 points, outdueling Giannis Antetokounmpo and making sure there wouldn’t be another Milwaukee Bucks fourth-quarter comeback, and the Boston Celtics beat the defending champions 108-95 to force a seventh game in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Boston forward/center Robert Williams missed his third straight game with an injured left knee as the Celtics tried to keep their season alive Friday night in Game 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

One team was able to stay alive and force a game six on Friday night, while the defending champs look to head back to the NBA Playoffs’ final four. EASTERN CONFERENCE(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks (Bucks lead 3-2)The two Eastern Conference powers continue to duke it out, with the ball certainly sitting in the Bucks’ court in game six. A couple of key defensive stops by Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday capped off the comeback for the Bucks in game five. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (3) Golden State Warriors (Warriors lead 3-2)Despite not having Ja Morant in the lineup, the Grizzlies put in a dominating performance on Wednesday night to keep their season alive. Check out the full NBA Playoffs bracket here

The Milwaukee Bucks want to build off the momentum from a thrilling comeback.

The Milwaukee Bucks are still alive in the NBA playoffs, but star Giannis Antetokounmpo is already joking about his plans for next year.

Bobby Portis made a putback off Giannis Antetokounmpo’s missed free throw with 15 seconds left, Jrue Holiday snuffed Marcus Smart on Boston’s final two possessions and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Celtics 110-107 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

One series might end on Wednesday night, while the other is setting up to go the distance, as second round action of the NBA Playoffs continues. EASTERN CONFERENCE(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Series tied 2-2)Time: 7 p.m. After losing a close one in game three, the Celtics were able to erase an early deficit on Monday night. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Memphis Grizzlies (Warriors lead 3-1)Time: 9:30 p.m. Check out the full NBA Playoffs bracket here

The Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks will have two preseason matchups at Abu Dhabi in October.

Al Horford and Jayson Tatum scored 30 points each and led the Boston Celtics’ fourth-quarter comeback in a 116-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks that tied their Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece.

The second round of the NBA Playoffs continues on Monday night with two teams that many expect to be Finals contenders, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors look to move within one win of the conference finals. EASTERN CONFERENCE(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks (Bucks lead 2-1)Time: 7:30 p.m. However, the Bucks had a big third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 34-17 in the third quarter. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (3) Golden State Warriors (Warriors lead 2-1)Time: 10 p.m. Check out the full NBA Playoffs bracket here

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points and made the go-ahead basket with 44.3 seconds left and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood a frantic flurry of shots in the final seconds to beat the Boston Celtics 103-101 on Saturday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal.

After a couple of days off, the Grizzlies and Warriors, along with the Bucks and Celtics, get set for the action on Saturday in a pair of game threes. EASTERN CONFERENCE(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks (Series tied 1-1)After the defending champs grabbed game one, the Celtics were able to salvage the first two games on home court with a commanding victory in game two on Tuesday. Milwaukee shrunk the gap in the second half, but it was not enough, as the Celtics came away with a 109-86 victory. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (3) Golden State Warriors (Series tied 1-1)Ja Morant grabbed the spotlight once again, coming out on the winning end in game two to earn a split in Memphis. Morant was on point, hitting well over 40 points for the second game in-a-row.

The Charlotte Hornets have begun their search for a head coach, asking permission to speak with several candidates, said a person familiar with the situation.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton will miss at least two more games in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Boston Celtics as he recovers from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

The Brooklyn Nets say Ben Simmons will have surgery to alleviate pain in his back caused by a herniated disk.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-86 to even their second-round playoff at one game apiece.

EASTERN CONFERENCE(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Bucks lead 1-0)Time: 7 p.m. The Greek sensation helped the Bucks lead for almost the entirety of game on Sunday, where Boston was able to hang around. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Memphis Grizzlies (Warriors lead 1-0)Time: 9:30 p.m. ETWhere: FedExFourm (Memphis, Tenn.)Channel: TNTStream: Sling, DirecTV StreamKlay Thompson showed his worth when Golden State squeaked one out on Sunday. #DubNation#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/okYpbgBvTL — NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2022Jordan Poole ended up leading Golden State in the win, coming off the bench to drop 31 points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had his second career postseason triple-double to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 101-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

After an exciting opening round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the second round should be even better. EASTERN CONFERENCE(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Game 1)Last year’s NBA Champs were able to make their way into the second round for the fourth-straight season by making easy work of the Chicago Bulls. This is the first time these two teams have met since the Bucks knocked out the Celtics in the second round during the 2019 playoffs. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Memphis Grizzlies (Game 1)The Warriors are looking like a real threat to make a deep push this postseason, even though this their first playoff appearance in three seasons. Check out the full NBA Playoffs bracket here

The only team to register a first-round sweep, the Boston Celtics enter their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks loaded with confidence.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer offered no new details Friday on Khris Middleton’s potential availability for the defending champions’ Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the Boston Celtics.

The defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks recovered from a bumpy beginning and rediscovered their championship form in plenty of time to dispose of the Chicago Bulls in their opening-round series.

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 22 and the Boston Celtics completed a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, becoming the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs with a 116-112 victory.

EASTERN CONFERENCE(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets (Celtics lead 3-0)Time: 7 p.m. Kevin Durant once again led the Nets, despite the loss, scoring 26 points. (5) Toronto Raptors vs. (4) Philadelphia 76ers (76ers lead 3-1)The other team that has faced a 3-0 deficit were the Raptors. Siakam ended up leading the floor with 34 points, while Gary Trent Jr. had a solid performance, scoring 24 points as well. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)WESTERN CONFERENCE(5) Utah Jazz vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks (Series tied 2-2)Time: 9:30 p.m.

Ben Simmons has been ruled out of Game 4 of Brooklyn’s playoff series against Boston, making it possible he won’t play at all this season.

Jayson Tatum scored 39 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and the Boston Celtics took a 3-0 lead over the Brooklyn Nets with a 109-103 victory.

Scoring has rarely looked so difficult for Kevin Durant.

Bananas are a great source of slow-release energy and potassium which helps your muscles function and can fuel an intense workout, experts say.

Former Detroit Pistons guard Bruce Brown has found a home with the Brooklyn Nets. The now small forward scored 23 points on Wednesday night in Brooklyn’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Brown scored 12 points in the opening quarter and was responsible for Brooklyn’s first 11 points as it looked to even the series at one game apiece. His hot scoring in the first quarter helped to get the Nets out to 65-55 lead heading into the half. Brooklyn will host Boston for the next two games with Game three taking place on Saturday at 7:30.

EASTERN CONFERENCE(7) Brooklyn Nets vs. (2) Boston Celtics (Celtics lead 1-0)Time: 7:00 p.m. pic.twitter.com/WUr4UsaURk — Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 17, 2022Those two points were a part of Tatum’s 31 in the victory, leading Boston’s attack. Al Hofrod also had a big game, scoring 20 points whilst taking down 15 rebounds. (4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors (76ers lead 2-0)The Raptors have a whole lot of work to do if they want to get back in this series. Nikola Vucevic helped lead Chicago’s near-comeback, picking up a double-double of his own, scoring 24 while picking up 17 rebounds.

There's no overwhelming favorite for NBA champion as the playoffs start, but that was by no means a problem for ABC and ESPN.

Irving gave the crowd at TD Garden the middle finger and directed "profane language" toward them, according to CBS Sports and NBA officials.

Irving gave the crowd at TD Garden the middle finger and directed "profane language" toward them, according to CBS Sports and NBA officials.

Irving gave the crowd at TD Garden the middle finger and directed "profane language" toward them, according to CBS Sports and NBA officials.

Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 for making obscene gestures and directing profane language toward the crowd during Brooklyn’s Game 1 playoff loss to the Celtics.

Boston’s Marcus Smart is the first guard in over a quarter-century to win the NBA defensive player of the year award.

The Warriors' new division will produce documentaries on former NBA players and will release a single featuring K-pop star BamBam.

Jayson Tatum made a layup at the buzzer on a pass from Marcus Smart to give the Boston Celtics a dramatic 115-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in the Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

They were able to grab the second-seed in the Eastern Conference thanks to an absolutely heater they ended the regular season on. Despite losing big names like James Harden during the regular season, Brooklyn was able to show they have what it takes to be a playoff team. It will not be getting any easier for Chicago, as Milwaukee won all four regular season meetings against them, including three since the beginning of March. Phoenix ran away with the best record in the NBA during the regular season, posting a 64-18 record. Check out the full NBA Playoffs bracket here

The NBA playoffs are officially in full swing and we’ll be treated to our second full day of postseason action on Sunday. We’ll start with the first game of the day as the Atlanta Hawks take on the Miami Heat and then finish up by looking at the showdown between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics. Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat predictions: Heat -6.5The Hawks deserve a lot of credit just for getting here. The Hawks are also going to be without starting center Clint Capela, who hurt his knee in the win over the Cavs. Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics predictions: Celtics -4The Nets got into the playoffs with their play-in win over the Cavs, but they didn’t exactly look great doing it.

The winner will earns the 7 seed in the playoffs and will play the 2 seed Boston Celtics in a seven-game series starting on Sunday. He’s played five games in the NBA this season: two with the Lakers and three with the Hawks, most recently on Dec. 31. He’s played 30 games with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, averaging 15.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He appeared in 42 games this year with 20 starts and averaged 14.2 points per game. There are several former Wolverines who appeared in at least one NBA game this season but will not play in the playoffs.

The team reportedly signed guard Carsen Edwards to a two-year deal according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. Detroit also inked a two-way contract with forward Braxton Key, per HoopsRumor JD Shaw. Related: Defense the key for Braxton Key during 10-day Pistons stintIn his five games with the Pistons, he’s averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. To allow space for the Key’s signing, the Pistons waived Chris Smith, who signed a two-way deal last offseason. Smith never got the opportunity to suit up for the Pistons due to the lengthy recovery from his first surgery in January 2021.

Jimmy Butler had 24 points, Kyle Lowry added 23 and the Miami Heat rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off the Boston Celtics 106-98 to stay atop a tight race for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

Jayson Tatum scored 34 points and Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 10 rebounds to help the Boston Celtics coast to a 134-112 over the Minnesota Timberwolves and take over the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Stephen Curry went down with a left foot injury late in the first half and didn’t return as Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics routed the Golden State Warriors 110-88 on Wednesday night.

Luka Doncic returned from a hamstring scare to hit a tying 3-pointer with a 1:21 left, Spencer Dinwiddie made the winner with nine seconds to play and the Dallas Mavericks spoiled Kevin Garnett’s special day by beating the Boston Celtics 95-92 on Sunday.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points and eight rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 22 points and eight rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103 on Friday night for their fifth victory in a row.

The Detroit Pistons just couldn’t buy a bucket in the final quarter of Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics. Rookie Cade Cunningham’s strong start to the night wasn’t enough to temper the Pistons’ collapse in the fourth quarter. But it all caught up with him in the fourth quarter as the Celtics blitzed him, holding him to 0-of-6 shooting overall. All but four of the Pistons’ 13 points in the fourth quarter came from the free-throw line. The Pistons started out the night’s game holding the Celtics to 0-of-5 shooting from distance but Boston exploited the absence of Isaiah Stewart.

The post-retirement accolades have rained down on Kevin Garnett over the past handful of years.

The injury bug has plagued the Detroit Pistons this season. On Friday night they will face the fast-rising Boston Celtics without several key players in their rotation. Stewart left in the second quarter with a knee injury, which was later revealed to be a bone bruise. The rookie had missed much of the season rehabbing a knee injury but made his debut with the Motor City Cruise in January. The Pistons and Celtics face off at 7:30 at TD Garden.

The Detroit Pistons are paying a visit to the Boston Celtics on Friday night. Although it has been a mostly miserable season for the Pistons, they have raised their level of play since the all-star break. Without further ado, let’s check out our best bets on the side and total for this contest. Pistons +14 (-110)When things click on all cylinders, the game can look easy. [Find a “win $200 if any team makes a 3-pointer″ deal from BetMGM here]Of course, that’s why you can get 14 points with the Pistons – and 14 should be enough.

Another loss to the Chicago Bulls derailed the Detroit Pistons longest win streak of the season. Now, they will try and earn a season split with the Boston Celtics when they head to New England on Friday night. The Pistons led at halftime, and took a 91-84 lead into the fourth quarter. Watch the Detroit Pistons on DirecTV StreamCade Cunningham led the Pistons with 22 points in the losing effort. Check out more stories about the Detroit Pistons here on MLiveWhat: NBA BasketballWho: Detroit Pistons (18-48) vs. Boston Celtics (40-27)When: Thursday, March 11Time: 7:30 p.m.

Jayson Tatum scored a season-high 54 points and the Boston Celtics overcame a rare appearance of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the Nets lineup to beat Brooklyn 126-120.

Here’s a look at some picks for NBA games on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.

Coming of a loss that interrupted their “winning streak”, the Detroit Pistons have a quick turnaround as they hit the road on Sunday to meet with the Charlotte Hornets for the third time this season. Watch the Detroit Pistons on DirecTV StreamThe big downside to the loss for Detroit was that they wasted a great performance from rookie Cade Cunningham, who scored 25, leading the Pistons in the losing effort. In their second encounter in Detroit a little over two weeks ago, a similar story saw the Pistons fall 141-119. Check out more stories about the Detroit Pistons here on MLiveWhat: NBA BasketballWho: Detroit Pistons (14-46) vs. Charlotte Hornets (30-31)When: Sunday, February 27Time: 7:00 p.m. ETWhere: Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)Channel: Bally Sports DetroitStream: DirecTV StreamCheck out the NBA standings and results on NBA.com

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 113-104.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Pistons will have to find energy spurts from their entire team for the remainder of their game against the Boston Celtics. Halfway through the second quarter of Saturday afternoon’s game, officials ejected Pistons wing, Hamidou Diallo. But after hustling to save a ball from going out of bounds, Diallo made contact with an official. The referee immediately blew his whistle and assessed Diallo for a technical foul. Then officials deemed the contact to be a hostile act, issued a second technical foul, ejecting Diallo from the game.

The one loss Boston had in their last 11 games came against the Pistons on Feb. 16, 112-111. The Celtics will win, but look for the Pistons to cover. As great as the Celtics are playing, they are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games and 6-15-1 ATS in their last 22 games following an ATS win. Excluding that game, Smart has gone over this total in six of his last eight games. RELATED STORIES:Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons - NBA (2/26/22) | Tip-Off, How to Watch, PreviewMarvin Bagley settling in following All-Star break

The Detroit Pistons came out of the All-Star Break with a bang, pulling off an upset in their first game back. Now, they look to make it three-in-a-row when they meet with the Boston Celtics for the third time in three weeks. Watch the Detroit Pistons on DirecTV StreamHamidou Diallo came off the bench for Detroit, leading the Pistons with 21 points in the win. Check out more stories about the Detroit Pistons here on MLiveWhat: NBA BasketballWho: Boston Celtics (35-26) vs. Detroit Pistons (14-45)When: Saturday, February 26Time: 12:00 p.m. ETWhere: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, Mich.)Channel: Bally Sports DetroitStream: DirecTV StreamCheck out the NBA standings and results on NBA.com

Here’s a look at some picks for games on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.

With the Detroit Pistons still in the initial stages of the franchise’s restoration, they understood that this season would have plenty of challenges. Head coach Dwane Casey has often said that this year, this team won’t see their growth in the win column. The Pistons scored 17 points off of 18 offensive rebounds while holding the Celtics to just two offensive boards. Saddiq Bey pulled down five of the Pistons’ offensive rebounds along with six defensive rebounds as he continues to develop his game. The three-young players along with Jerami Grant, who helped seal the Pistons’ win with a turnaround fadeaway jumper, have given the franchise hope that the restoration is moving in the right direction.

Jerami Grant hit the winning basket and scored 24 points to help the Detroit Pistons end an eight-game losing streak and the Boston Celtics' nine-game winning streak, 112-111 on Wednesday night.

The Detroit Pistons current losing streak has reached eight games after faltering to the Washington Wizards on Monday night. Now, the Pistons look to try and snap the skid before the All-Star Break when they take on the Boston Celtics for the second time in a couple weeks. Watch the Detroit Pistons on DirecTV StreamThe loss also marked the first time in nine games the Pistons failed to hit the century mark. These two teams met in Detroit on the first Friday of this month, with Boston coming away with a 102-93 win. What: NBA BasketballWho: Detroit Pistons (12-45) vs. Boston Celtics (33-25)When: Wednesday, February 16Time: 7:30 p.m.

Here are tonight's top stories.

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points in 28 minutes, and the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to four games with a 102-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

DETROIT -- There was a lot to shake off when the Detroit Pistons returned from the locker room after halftime. The Pistons’ first-half shooting woes carried over into the third quarter with back-to-back layups from Marcus Smart to get the Celtics out to a 50-31 lead. Just under two minutes later Diallo and Bey combined for another play that injected some life into the stagnant Pistons offense. The Pistons had little time to celebrate Bey’s milestone since Celtics forward Jayson Tatum began to heat up. The three-time All-Star scored 19 of 24 points in the third quarter, helping the Celtics stretch out to a 78-56 lead.

Boston Celtics -7.5It’s no secret that the Celtics are a much more talented and experienced team than the Pistons – and that’s been true for a number of years. One look at the rosters and records explains whey no one is surprised to see Boston as a decent-sized road favorite here. The Pistons, meanwhile, are 2-8 straight-up over their last 10 games and an even 5-5 against the spread (ATS) in that span. Under 213 total pointsAn interesting trend this season is Boston’s lower-scoring games when favored on the road. The Celtics’ games have also gone under in seven of their last nine contests overall.

After another rough second half, the Detroit Pistons have fallen in consecutive games, once again. They will look to try and end this losing streak in the second half of their back-to-back when they host the Boston Celtics on Friday night. Watch the Detroit Pistons on DirecTV StreamFrank Jackson came off the bench to lead the Pistons with 25 points in the losing effort. Check out more stories about the Detroit Pistons here on MLiveWhat: NBA BasketballWho: Boston Celtics (28-25) vs. Detroit Pistons (12-39)When: Friday, February 4Time: 7:00 p.m. ETWhere: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, Mich.)Channel: Bally Sports DetroitStream: DirecTV StreamCheck out the NBA standings and results on NBA.com

The N.B.A. star, who has been outspoken about human rights in China, discusses his embrace by the right and his harsh words for LeBron James.

Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell is partnering with Hunt Auctions to offer historic basketball artifacts and personal materials from his personal collection. “CBS Mornings” co-host Nate Burleson sat down with the former NBA star to discuss how it felt to be back in Boston as he takes us through his career and legacy.

Goran Dragic has left the Toronto Raptors because of a personal matter. The Raptors said Sunday before their game against Boston Celtics that the 35-year-old guard — acquired along with Precious Achiuwa in the offseason deal that sent Kyle Lowry to Miami — wasn’t with the team. Dragic, from Slovenia, has played in just five games with the Raptors, averaging 8.0 points, 1.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds and 17.9 minutes.

The Boston Celtics’ Enes Kanter recently took another jab at Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James for reportedly choosing money over morals on the issues of forced labor in China, Uyghurs and Tibet. What happened: Kanter, 29, took to social media on Thursday to again call out James, 36, for not standing up against Nike and its alleged use of forced labor when manufacturing its shoes.

18-year-old Fanbo Zeng decided to decommitt from Gonzaga to sign with NBA G League Ignite, a California-based developmental team. Chinese fans hope the 6-foot-11 forward can become the next Yao Ming. (Oct. 26)

Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter tweeted a video in support of independence for Tibet. Upcoming Celtics games appear unavailable to stream on Tencent Sports.

Harden, 31, is in good position to leverage his cultural influence, name, image and likeness to drive new business to Saks and help launch clothing brands.

Cole Buckley, 21, has pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday and was released after posting a $500 bond.

Cole Buckley, 21, has pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday and was released after posting a $500 bond.

The incident was the fourth in the brief NBA post-season. The Brooklyn star blames "underlying racism."

The Brooklyn Nets came into their first round series with the Boston Celtics on a tear, ending the regular season with a 48-24 record, and winners of eight of their last 10 games. Game one started off well for the underdog Celtics, as they led the Nets 53-47 at halftime. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)In game two, the Nets started on time, and never let up in the 130-108 win. Kevin Durant led all players with 26 points, and has averaged 29 points over the first two games of the series. What: NBA Eastern Conference PlayoffsWho: (2) Brooklyn Nets vs. (7) Boston Celtics (Nets lead 2-0)When: Friday, May 28Time: 8:30 p.m.

The Knicks clinched their first playoff berth since 2013, completing a quick turnaround under first-year coach Tom Thibodeau and a new front office.