Detroit @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 13, 2019 ) Detroit 110, Boston 118

The Boston Celtics showed some guts in a comeback win on the road and they now return to a stretch filled with home games, including Friday's visit from the Detroit Pistons. Behind 32 points from Kemba Walker and 26 from Jaylen Brown, the Celtics rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to steal a 109-103 victory in Dallas on Wednesday.

Jayson Tatum added 24 points as Boston rode its three stars to snap a two-game slide. "The three guys we were going to play through were very clear tonight," coach Brad Stevens told reporters of the trio. "Those guys all had good scoring nights, thankfully." The Celtics are beginning a two-game homestand Friday and play 12 of their next 18 at TD Garden, where they own a 10-1 record. The Pistons are coming off an 0-2 homestand capped by Wednesday's 112-99 loss to Toronto.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, NBCS Boston

ABOUT THE PISTONS (11-17): After giving up 133 points in a loss to Washington on Monday, Detroit allowed 70 first-half points versus Toronto, but head coach Dwane Casey was pleased with his team's ability to keep pace. "You never want to give up that many points, but I liked our start, I liked our effort and I like the competitive edge," Casey told reporters. "If we can keep that up, we can build on that, but that's still one of the best teams in our league." Andre Drummond once again shouldered the load with 22 points and 18 rebounds for his 22nd double-double, third-most in the NBA.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (18-7): Guard Marcus Smart (eye) has missed four games in a row and swingman Gordon Hayward sat out Wednesday's win due to left foot soreness, the same foot he severely injured minutes into the 2017-18 season. Stevens said that Hayward would undergo an MRI exam on Thursday after a cortisone shot didn't quite do the trick. "They did a shot that day, practiced Monday, practiced Tuesday," Stevens told the media. "Each day didn't feel quite as good, and today [Wednesday] felt worse than the other two."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics C Enes Kanter scored a season-high 20 points against Philadelphia two games ago and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds at Dallas.

2. Pistons PF Christian Wood (knee) left Wednesday's loss and is day-to-day.

3. Boston won three of four meetings last season, including two at home.

PREDICTION: Celtics 119, Pistons 106