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Sullinger, Celtics edge Monroe, Pistons in OT

Dec 4, 2014 - 5:55 AM Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics both entered Wednesday night's game riding lengthy losing streaks.

Greg Monroe did his part to end Detroit's slide, but Jared Sullinger was just as clutch to push Boston to a victory.

Sullinger scored 10 of his 14 points in overtime to help the Celtics snap their five-game losing streak with a 109-102 win.

"It feels awesome," Sullinger said of closing out the win. "Everybody's in a smiling mood."

Jeff Green supplied 32 points to pace Boston and Kelly Olynyk added 20 in a reserve role.

Monroe was a force inside down the stretch, and his 29-point effort off the bench was a huge reason his team made a game of it late. His effort was all for naught, however, as Detroit lost its 10th straight game.

"I got into a good rhythm and I just have to continue to be comfortable coming off the bench," said Monroe.

Andre Drummond deposited 27 points with 14 rebounds and five blocks in the setback.

Rajon Rondo assisted on Sullinger's 3-pointer to open the extra session, then he ripped the ball away from Monroe, raced up the floor and found Green, who knocked down a corner 3 to push the Celtics lead to 94-88. Evan Turner followed with a tough runner to force a Detroit timeout with 3:18 left.

Like he did in the fourth quarter, Monroe kept the Pistons in it with four straight points, but Sullinger countered with another 3-pointer which preceded his jumper that made it 101-92.

The Celtics didn't necessarily help themselves in the final minute, as Drummond followed Turner's free throw with a three-point play, then Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a 3 after Olynyk went 1-of-2 from the line.

Green went to the line and calmly made a pair of free throws as the Celtics held on.

Olynyk scored the final five points of a 10-3 run to open the fourth and give Boston a 71-61 lead. Turner then found Green for a 3-pointer later on in the quarter to make it 80-68.

"(We) played well in a lot of the fourth quarter, until the very end," Celtics coach Brad Stevens admitted.

The Pistons used a heavy dose of Monroe in the latter stages, though, as he scored nine straight to cut the margin to 84-82 with 1:31 remaining.

Green stopped the run with a pair of free throws, but Monroe kept up his momentum with a bucket to keep it a two-point game.

Rondo threw the ball away at the other end which set up free throws for Drummond, who split the pair to cut it to 86-85 with 23.1 seconds left.

Turner knocked down two free throws to extend the lead, then Caron Butler buried a quick 3-pointer to tie the game at 88-88. Green drove the lane in the closing seconds and let go a floater that Drummond sent back his way to send the contest to overtime.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well in the third quarter, as Boston managed to make 7-of-24 shots from the floor and Detroit converted 6-of-22. The Celtics did, however, turn their one-point halftime deficit into a three- point lead, taking a 61-58 advantage into the fourth.

Green's basket with over five minutes left in the first gave the Celtics an 18-8 lead, but Monroe scored the next six points as Detroit responded with a 13-0 run.

Phil Pressey quelled the surge with a 3-pointer to tie the game, then Caldwell-Pope closed the quarter with a dunk that gave the Pistons a 23-21 lead entering the second.

Detroit still led in the early stages of the second, however, it went scoreless for nearly five minutes in the quarter. Meanwhile, Boston slowly took advantage courtesy of an 11-0 run for a 42-35 lead with 1:26 remaining until half. Caldwell-Pope ended the drought with a 3-pointer, which was followed by a layup from Drummond and a trey from Kyle Singler that helped the visitors to a 43-42 edge at the break.

Game Notes

Marcus Smart, Boston's sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, was held scoreless in his return to the lineup from a 10-game absence due to a sprained ankle ... Detroit has also lost four straight on the road ... Boston snapped a six-game losing streak at TD Garden and improved to 3-7 at home ... The Pistons had a 55-49 edge on the glass ... The Celtics scored 21 points off turnovers ... Detroit owned a 56-30 scoring edge in the paint.