Pistons erase 22-point deficit to beat Celtics
Detroit outscored Boston 23-0 in a five-minute stretch and opened the 2026-27 season with a 121-113 home win.
The Detroit Pistons opened the 2026-27 NBA season with a 121-113 home victory over the Boston Celtics on October 20, 2026, rallying from a 22-point second-half deficit.
Detroit’s 23-0 run in the fourth quarter turned a 99-89 deficit into a 112-99 lead. The NBA’s game report identified the comeback as the largest on an NBA season’s opening day since 1997-98.
A decisive fourth-quarter run
The Pistons trailed 72-50 with 8:32 remaining in the third quarter and were still down 99-89 with 8:19 left in the game. They then outscored Boston 23-0 over five minutes, reaching a 112-99 advantage with 3:33 to play.
Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham each scored 22 points. Duren also had nine rebounds, while Cunningham added eight assists. Duncan Robinson scored 21.
Robinson and Green provide a spark
Robinson and Javonte Green each made five three-pointers. Robinson scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, while Green finished with 19 after not playing in the first half.
Green scored 11 points in a two-minute stretch during the third quarter, helping Detroit begin its recovery.
Celtics debut for Paul George
Paul George scored a game-high 38 points in his Celtics debut, according to the NBA report. His scoring did not prevent Boston from losing its season opener.
Opening-night result, not a playoff outcome
The game was the first of an opening-day tripleheader, with the NBA report describing both teams as Eastern Conference contenders. The result gives Detroit a season-opening win and Boston a loss; it does not establish a playoff or qualification consequence.
Newsroom
The NBA’s account of the October 20 opener centered on Detroit’s comeback and the 23-0 burst that completed it.
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Sources
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NBA
Official source · 20/10/2026 23:31
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