Celtics outshoot Pistons to end 13-game winning streak in stunning upset

Cade Cunningham made a lot of shots Friday against the Boston Celtics. It's the one he missed in the final seconds that will haunt him as the Celtics broke the Detroit Pistons' 13-game winning streak with a 117-114 win.

Cunningham scored 42 points and had a chance to tie the game when he was fouled on a three-point shot with 4.4 seconds left. But one possession after he airballed a three-pointer and turned the ball over, Cunningham missed the third foul shot and the Celtics escaped in a game where their shooting made all the difference.

The Pistons' limited shooting finally caught up to them

Going into Friday's game, the Pistons were the NBA's second-worst free-throw shooting team, making 73.9 percent of their freebies. They'd also made the fifth-fewest three-pointers in the NBA, hitting only 11.3 per game.

Despite that, the Pistons were 15-2 thanks to their strong defense and offensive rebounding, and their high volume of free throws. However, when matching up with the Celtics, who thrive on three-point volume, the Pistons were at a disadvantage. The Celtics made 20 of their 43 three-point attempts, compared to the Pistons' 11-of-36, a 27-point difference.

The foul shots also hurt them. The Pistons got 36 free throws, but missed seven of them, with Isaiah Stewart going 0-of-2 and Jalen Duren shooting 4-of-6. Cunningham went 14-of-15 before that last, crucial miss. Meanwhile, the Celtics shot 21-of-24. That's how the Pistons lost despite getting more shots, rebounds and free throws than the Celtics.

Detroit misses Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway, Jr.

Detroit's second-best three-point shooter last season, Tim Hardaway, Jr. left the Pistons for the Denver Nuggets in free agency, mainly because the Pistons planned to bring back top three-point shooter Malik Beasley. But Beasley's gambling allegations put those plans on hold.

Now Duncan Robinson is averaging over three triples per game, but there's no other Piston shooting threes at volume. The return of Jaden Ivey might help this, and Daniss Jenkins has been a revelation, but the team still lacks sharpshooters. It's made Cunningham have to launch more from the perimeter, where he's only shooting 29.9 percent.

Of course, despite their shooting disparity, it's a testament to the rest of the Pistons' game that they were still one free throw away from forcing OT and a chance at a 14th straight win. That's why getting more outside shooting, either from within or through a midseason trade, could elevate the Pistons from a team having a hot start to a team with a chance at a title.