Follow along with the best of a five-game night in the NBA, headlined by Cade Cunningham and Jaylen Brown facing off in Pistons-Celtics.

As the trade window opens, Boston’s strong start has clarified how the Celtics could approach the center market moving forward.

The Celtics have swung at least one in-season trade every year since 2021, ranging in significance from the big swing for Derrick White in 2022 to the modest dumping of Jaden Springer’s salary this past February.

But fast forward to the present, and it is clear that the Celtics are a good team with postseason potential despite those high-profile exits, and Mazzulla is a major part of the reason why given how well he is getting those younger replacements to play this season.

The Pistons are 5-1 in their last six games, including wins over the Hawks and Heat, and they’re 8-3 on their travels this year. One of those losses came in a nail-biter at TD Garden in November, where Cade Cunningham & Co. almost overcame Boston's 47% night from 3-point range.

December 15 brings a full NBA slate with important conference matchups and several games that could shape the scenario before the holiday stretch. Some teams arrive red hot, while others are searching for answers after recent struggles.

The Boston Celtics, still without Jayson Tatum, are lurking in the Eastern Conference and have won five in a row and 10 of their last 12 games.

What better way to kick off the week in the NBA than a few contenders facing off on Monday before a standalone NBA Cup Championship game on Tuesday. Monday’s ac

The California product has put the shorthanded Celtics on his back lately, notching 25+ points in eight of his last nine contests and helping Boston ascend to the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference in Jayson Tatum’s absence (Achilles injury).