It’s a blueprint for beating the Celtics. Turn the game into a mud-slinging match, force players to attack the rim, commit to the consequences of a hard foul, and challenge a team that’s been known for its finesse.
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The Celtics had a physical response, playing tough and challenging every possession. They fell short because they couldn’t consistently make shots or contain the lethal Cade Cunningham, who led the Pistons with 32 points on 11-for-21 shooting, including 6 of 10 on 3-pointers.
“I thought we met the challenge physicality-wise,” Brown said. “We rebounded, protected the paint, all those good things that were good signs we’re bringing the physicality.”
Brown senses opposing teams are more physical now that the Celtics have proven to be a quality team. The Bucks preceded the Pistons by pushing around the Celtics, imposing their will, and forcing a rugged style. The Celtics allowed their frustration to mount because of missed shots in the second half that affected their psyche in that 116-101 loss last Thursday in Milwaukee.
This time, the Celtics were more poised, but there were occasions down the stretch when they seemed to press and commit careless turnovers. Brown and Derrick White lost their dribbles. The Celtics committed a shot-clock violation. They weren’t crisp when they desperately needed to be.
“It seems like that,” Brown said when asked if opposing teams are being more physical, “but I’m all for that. You could definitely see that was on their [game plan], foul hard. I’ve just got to protect myself from injury and step up and knock down the free throw and get back on D.
“We need to meet the physicality and that’s what we did tonight. I think my team did enough. I’ve got to be better down the stretch. We’ve got to be better down the stretch.”
The glaring difference between the Celtics and some Eastern Conference competitors is consistent bench scoring, and the Pistons’ reserves pounded their counterparts, 47-14. Other than Anfernee Simons, the Celtics’ bench lacks quality scorers.
Sam Hauser, who left Monday’s game with a sprained left ankle, is shooting a career-low 34.2 percent from the 3-point line and has attempted four free throws in 552 minutes. He doesn’t get many easy points.
Simons is a pure scorer, but he needs help. Most of the bench players Joe Mazzulla relies on are defensive-minded, meaning scoring is a bonus. Other than Simons, the Celtics’ reserves were just 2 for 8 from the field Monday for 5 points.
A reliable scorer is perhaps another item to add to the Celtics’ gift list by the trade deadline. There are going to be nights when Brown, White, and Pritchard aren’t getting shots to fall. Against the Pistons, Pritchard scored 10 points in the opening quarter and 2 in the final three quarters.
White scored 31 points on 10-for-18 shooting, while Brown tallied 34, but those three were the lone double-digit scorers for the Celtics. Jordan Walsh, in the lineup because of his defense, had a foul-prone night and attempted just three shots.
Josh Minott and Baylor Scheierman can’t be relied upon for high-scoring games because it’s something they haven’t done in their young careers. While the Pistons countered with Caris LeVert, Jaden Ivey, and even former Celtic Javonte Green off the bench (combined 31 points), the Celtics were relegated to relying on their starters, and they didn’t have enough in the end.
Monday should serve as a valuable lesson in what the Celtics need to improve over the next several months. They have to find more offensive sources, especially when the 3-pointer is not falling. Boston is a combined 24 for 88 from the 3-point line the past two games — both losses. Another reliable big man and another bench scorer could help those issues.
At least the Celtics know the blueprint is beginning to shift. They hung with the No. 1 team in the East for nearly 48 minutes. They withstood their toughness, even those Isaiah Stewart elbows, and they had a chance to win on a night when shots weren’t falling. But what the past two games especially have shown is the Celtics have an energetic, hard-playing, but flawed roster that could use upgrades.
The good news? They remain tied for fourth in the East, and there’s plenty of time to make adjustments to their personnel and how they counter teams obviously trying to bully them into submission.
Old habits are dying hard. Making more shots is what will help the Celtics avoid another playoff disappointment, like the one they had in New York last spring.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.