DETROIT — The first three matchups of the season between the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics were plenty contentious. Their final meeting of the regular season was no different.
The top two teams in the Eastern Conference went blow for blow Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, but it was the Pistons coming out with the win.
Tobias Harris hit a crucial late three-pointer and led the team with 25 points to earn a 104-103 victory, clinching a regular-season series win over the Celtics, 3-1.
Jalen Duren added 18 points and nine rebounds with Cade Cunningham still posting 16 points and 14 assists despite shooting 4-of-17 from the field.
A slow shooting start saw the Pistons (31-10) trail 16-8 early on, but Duren found his groove with seven straight points for Detroit.
Even as recently-elected All-Star Jaylen Brown posted 13 in the first quarter, the Pistons battled back to a tie late after Isaiah Stewart’s dunk and successful trip to the foul line.
Detroit trailed Boston (26-16) by three after the first quarter, but started playing more of its own brand of basketball turning defense into offense late in the period and took that momentum into the second.
In the first half, Detroit scored 14 points off nine Celtics turnovers, with Ausar Thompson leading the way with four steals.
Stewart and All-Star bound Cunningham each added a highlight block, rejecting Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh, respectively, from dunks that lit up the Detroit bench and the crowd at LCA.
Those blocks helped keep the Celtics without a make from the field for nearly five minutes as the Pistons went out on an 11-2 run where five different players scored.
Duncan Robinson showcased his hustle late in the half, tracking down an overthrown ball from Thompson in transition and keeping it alive with heave over his shoulder.
The veteran guard quickly rotated himself into the corner and drained an open three-pointer off a quick dish from Cunningham, who had 14 assists and no turnovers.
Nine unanswered points — led by an eight-point quarter from Harris — helped push Detroit out to a 59-51 advantage at halftime.
The Celtics didn’t go away, getting back into the matchup with a 9-2 run early in the third quarter. Boston shot 6-of-11 from three in the period to keep applying pressure on the Pistons.
Robinson continued to be the one provided that help from long range as he drained a pair to go with Duren and Harris’ continued strength working down low.
A late jumper from Harris had the Pistons holding tight to a two-point lead going into the fourth, but it was quickly dashed by former Pistons big Luka Garza, who sank a three on the first possession.
Jaden Ivey put his foot on the gas, scoring seven unanswered points on his own. The Celtics brought themselves back in it with a jump shot from Brown, however Robinson delivered his fifth three-pointer of the night to create some space.
Harris notched a pair of threes late — helping Detroit shoot 50% from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter — before the Pistons managed to secure their win off an extended final possession that included a key offensive rebound from Robinson.
The Celtics had the chance to win it with Brown, but his potential game-winner bounced off the rim. With the win, Detroit finished their longest home stand of the season 5-1.
[**BOX SCORE**](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587345&xs=1&xcust=jacob-richman%7C&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nba.com%2Fgame%2Fbos-vs-det-0022500017%2Fbox-score%23box-score&product_category=Sporting+Goods%3EAthletics%3EBasketball)
**Up next:** The Pistons hit the road for the first time since Jan. 4 to take on the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night. This will be the first of two games this season against New Orleans.