NBA Season Tips Off With Pistons' Stunning Comeback Over Celtics

Cunningham says Pistons must improve chemistry after opening win

Duncan Robinson scored 21 points to spark a fierce second-half fightback as the Detroit Pistons overturned a 22-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 121-113 on Tuesday in the opening game of the 2026-27 NBA season.

Paul George scores 38 on Celtics debut but Pistons rally to win...

Duncan Robinson poured in 21 points to fuel a stunning second-half rally as the Detroit Pistons stunned the visiting Boston Celtics 121-113 on Tuesday in the curtain-raiser for the 2026-27 NBA season.

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren paced Detroit with 22 points apiece, with Javonte Green adding 19 off the bench and Ausar Thompson chipping in 11 points and 11 boards.

Detroit trailed by as many as 22 points before taking control with a blistering 23-0 run in the fourth quarter Robinson scoring 12 during that stretch to surge to a 112-99 lead.

DETROIT'S 23-0 4Q RUN IN UNDER 5 MINUTES, UNCUT 🍿🍿 @DetroitPistons open the NBA season with a 22-point comeback win! https://t.co/ZgEF1IHgY4

— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2026

Green's three-pointer with 6:41 left put Detroit in front for the first time since early in the second quarter at 101-99, a lead Boston would never reclaim.

“We just didn't do our brand of basketball good enough in the first half, and we had to turn it up,” Cunningham said. “We had a good talk at halftime and lit that fire a little bit better.

“We've just got to get our camaraderie, our synergy, a little bit better, but that will come as the season goes on.”

Duncan Robinson TOOK OVER in Q4 🔥 15 PTS 3 3PM He finished with 21 PTS (5 3PM) to spark a 22-point comeback win for the @DetroitPistons! https://t.co/l83YquK5gh

— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2026

Paul George led Boston with 38 points, the most ever scored by a player on his Celtics debut.

The 36-year-old forward, a nine-time All-Star who arrived from Philadelphia in July as part of the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, also collected five rebounds, five steals and three assists.

Derrick White and Payton Pritchard scored 17 points each, while Jayson Tatum was limited to 13 points on 6-of-23 from the field.

George poured in 12 of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter as Boston's 15-0 run helped them open up a 58-45 advantage at halftime.

HISTORY for @Yg_Trece in his @celtics debut! He's the FIRST player (since individual steals started being tracked in 1973-74) to record 35+ POINTS and 5+ STEALS in his first game with a new team 😮 https://t.co/IHUUA5q6IR

— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2026

Detroit put together a 27-9 surge in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 88-82 heading into the fourth, with Green hitting 5-of-8 from deep and Cunningham 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to spark the comeback.

The clash between Detroit, last season's Eastern Conference regular-season winners, and runners-up Boston provided a thrilling start to the NBA's 81st season.

Later on Tuesday, LeBron James and his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates will open their season in New York, where the Knicks will raise their 2026 championship banner at Madison Square Garden.

The night will close with Victor Wembanyama and the reigning Western Conference finalists San Antonio Spurs hosting Oklahoma City in a rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals.