Boston — Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy didn’t want to wait for the inevitable to come, so he did something about it preemptively.
In a tight game, Van Gundy knew — almost to a certainty — that Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens would resort to the strategy of intentionally fouling Pistons center Andre Drummond. Stevens had done it several times in the previous two meetings and with less than seven minutes left and with the Celtics ahead by a point on Wednesday night at Boston, it was coming again.
Drummond had hurt his knee after being intentionally tackled by Amir Johnson on a previous play and went to the bench.