The Boston Celtics may be without one of their key players in Monday night's game against the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons will face the Boston Celtics on Monday night at TD Garden in their third meeting of the season. The two teams have split the first two matchups, but

Ausar Thompson, 22, is arguably the best point-of-attack defender in the NBA and has developed a consistent midrange jumper, and his paint touches have become invaluable. Duncan Robinson is the ultimate floor spacer, is adept at shooting on the move from behind the arc and often uses his gravity to manipulate defenses.

After the first 25 games, NBC and Peacock sportscaster Noah Eagle believes in the Pistons' championship aspirations.

The Detroit Pistons head into the holiday season as high as the franchise has been in decades. But things can quickly go downhill for the Motowners, who haven’t made the postseason in consecutive seasons since the late 2000s.

Things don’t get any easier for the Celtics with the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons, in town on Monday night. Detroit had a franchise-record-tying 13-game win streak snapped in its last trip to Boston, when the Celtics prevailed in a nailbiter the day before Thanksgiving.

The Detroit Pistons (20-5) travel to TD Garden for a matchup on Peacock with the Boston Celtics (15-10). This is third meeting of the season between the teams as they split the series one apiece. Both meetings have come by six or fewer points, so another competitive and possible classic is on the way.