Pistons Beat Celtics 119-116

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 31 points and the Detroit Pistons took the lead with a 14-0 fourth-quarter run and held off the Boston Celtics 119-116 Wednesday night at The Palace.

Caldwell-Pope, a third-year shooting guard whose previous season high was 22 points, surpassed the 30-point game he had against Oklahoma City in the final game of his rookie campaign.

Point guard Reggie Jackson had 23 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter. Center Andre Drummond notched his league-high 23rd double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons (15-12).

Point guard Isaiah Thomas tied his career high with 38 points for the Celtics (14-12). Center Jared Sullinger had 17 points and 10 rebounds and reserve center Tyler Zeller added 12 points.

Boston reserve shooting guard Evan Turner, who handed out the 1,500th assist of his career, chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.

Drummond's dunk with 6:42 left in the third established the first double-digit advantage of the game at 71-61. The Celtics clawed back and finished the quarter on a 12-6 run to cut Detroit's lead to two at 85-83.

Zeller's layup in the opening seconds of the fourth tied it but the Pistons reeled off 14 unanswered points. Caldwell-Pope and Drummond scored after making steals, and backup forward Anthony Tolliver hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Sullinger finally ended Boston's drought with a 3-pointer.

Celtics reserve forward Jonas Jerebko cut the Pistons' lead to four, 101-97, with a 3-pointer. Jackson then got hot to keep the Celtics at bay. His banker with under two minutes to go made it 114-108.

Turner's three-point play with 19.3 seconds left cut Detroit's lead to 114-113. Caldwell-Pope sank two free throws for a three-point edge. Jerebko missed a layup and Caldwell-Pope made two more free throws.

Thomas dropped in a 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left but Jackson hit a free throw to seal the Pistons' win.

Drummond was a non-factor in the first half, contributing just two points and two rebounds, until he pulled down a defensive rebound and fired in a halfcourt shot as the buzzer sounded.

The second 3-pointer of his four-year career -- and first since his rookie season -- gave Detroit a 55-52 halftime lead.

NOTES: Pistons PG Brandon Jennings, out since rupturing his left Achilles tendon in January, is expected to begin a rehab assignment with their D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids on Saturday. "He does want to go up there and play," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It gives him a chance to play big minutes instead of the 15-20 minutes we're able to give him." ... Boston coach Brad Stevens believes Detroit C Andre Drummond, the league's top rebounder, will make his first All-Star appearance. "Every time the ball hits the rim, you're fearful he's going to get it," Stevens said. ... The Celtics were forcing a league-best 18.3 turnovers per game heading into Wednesday's game. "It's a very, very aggressive defensive team," Van Gundy said. ... In a scheduling quirk, Detroit's next home game is also against Boston the night after Christmas. ... Stevens said there is no timetable for PG Marcus Smart's return, but he has been doing some on-court drills. Smart (left leg) has missed 15 consecutive games.