As the Celtics entered Little Caesars Arena for tonight’s Pistons’ clash, they aimed to extend their six-game winning streak. However, the brutal beatdown that followed caught them off guard. In a shocking upset, the Detroit franchise blew out the reigning champions by twenty points, ending their dominant run. Sure enough, the humiliating loss led to tensions in the Celtics’ camp and turns out, big man Kristaps Porzingis blamed himself for the unexpected outcome.

KP didn’t sugarcoat it. After a rough night, finishing with just 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, he took full accountability for the Celtics’ loss.

Despite grabbing three steals, he struggled to anchor the paint against Cade Cunningham and the Pistons’ fast-paced offense. Postgame, Porzingis didn’t hold back: “Just a bad game, to be honest. Me especially. I was terrible tonight.”

Porzingis’ frustration is justified. He’s been a consistent force all season, averaging 19.2 points and nearly seven rebounds, playing a crucial role in the Celtics’ dominance. But tonight? He simply didn’t meet his own standard.

“They were hitting big shots after big shots, and we didn’t rebound the ball well—especially myself,” he admitted. “So, definitely have to take some accountability and be better.”

And here’s the shocking part—despite standing 7’2, he only managed two rebounds. That’s uncharacteristic for him, and there could be a major reason behind it.

It is possible that Porzingis was not his 100% as he had just recovered from a sudden illness, which forced him to be a late scratch in last night’s Raptors clash. In his absence, Torrey Craig got his first start for the Cs. What’s concerning is that Porzingis has been dealing with this unknown illness for quite some time as he missed another game earlier this month because of a similar issue.

Maybe, KP is still feeling the effects of the illness, which led to his disappointing performance tonight. But while Porzingis took the fall for the loss, credit also goes to the Pistons, who fought hard to take down the reigning champs.

Kristaps Porzingis claims the Pistons’ will to win led to Celtics’ loss after Joe Mazzulla surrenders midgame

While acknowledging his “terrible” performance, Porzingis also credited the Pistons for their incredible effort, “We just had a really bad game. We fought. We fought you know, but they were like physical. It felt for them like it was a really important game. They really wanted to win, and we battled as strong as we could, but we just fell short.”

Yes, the Pistons surprised everyone by dominating from tip off and gaining an eleven-point lead heading into the final quarter. And when Joe Mazzulla realized that a comeback wasn’t possible, he emptied his bench with 6 minutes left on the clock. That proves how impressive the Pistons have been this season.

It was only last year that they tied the record for the longest losing streak in league history with 28 straight losses. Sure enough, they finished as the bottom seed in the East with only fourteen wins. But with Cade Cunningham having a breakout season and other young stars stepping up, the Detroit franchise has gone from being the laughing stock to legitimate contenders. Including tonight’s Celtics beatdown, they have won their last eight games and currently hold the sixth seed in the East standings.

The Pistons showed up in a big way and proved they’re not just a bottom-feeder team. While the Celtics had a rough night, Detroit flat-out earned this win. Cade Cunningham led the charge, and the whole squad played with energy and urgency.

If they keep this up, ending their five-year playoff drought isn’t just a dream—it’s a real possibility. Boston might have had an off night, but credit where it’s due—Detroit took full advantage and protected their home court.

Do you think this game was just a fluke for the Celtics, or should we start taking the Pistons seriously?