The Detroit Pistons trailed the Boston Celtics by 22 points early in the third quarter of Tuesday’s season opener at Little Caesars Arena. By the final buzzer, they had won, 121-113, finishing the comeback with a fourth-quarter run in which they scored at least 20 straight points.
The rally was the largest in an NBA opener in at least 28 years, The Detroit News reported. It also gave an early answer to a question hanging over the season: whether a team that won 60 games last season, then turned over a large part of its supporting cast, could still play the way it did a year ago. For one afternoon, at least, it could.
Jump to: How the comeback happened · Key numbers · What it means · Next game and how to watch · FAQ
Pistons vs. Celtics recap: how the comeback happened
The game, an unusual 3 p.m. ET Tuesday tipoff broadcast nationally on NBC, belonged to Boston for most of the first half. Paul George, playing his first game for the Celtics after a trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, set the pace. Boston pushed its lead to 72-50 early in the third quarter, according to The Associated Press.
Detroit’s shooting turned the game. The Pistons made 4 of 18 3-pointers in the first half and 11 of 22 in the second, Boston.com reported, and they outscored the Celtics 76-55 after the break, according to The Detroit News. By the end of the third quarter, the deficit was six.
The decisive stretch came in the fourth. Accounts of the run differ slightly; The Detroit News put it at 23-0 and Boston.com at 20-0. Either way, Javonte Green’s 3-pointer put Detroit ahead, Jalen Duren followed with a three-point play, and Duncan Robinson’s 3 made it 107-99 with 5:10 left, the AP reported. Boston did not recover.
Green’s night was the most unexpected part. He did not play in the first half, then finished with 19 points and made 5 of 8 3-point attempts, according to the AP and The Detroit News. Last season he averaged 6.9 points.
Key numbers from the Pistons’ 121-113 win
| Player | Team | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Cade Cunningham | Pistons | 22 points, 8 assists |
| Jalen Duren | Pistons | 22 points, 9 rebounds |
| Duncan Robinson | Pistons | 21 points, 5 of 9 on 3-pointers |
| Javonte Green | Pistons | 19 points, 5 of 8 on 3-pointers |
| Ausar Thompson | Pistons | 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists |
| Paul George | Celtics | 38 points, 7 3-pointers, 5 steals |
| Jayson Tatum | Celtics | 13 points on 6-of-23 shooting, 11 assists |
George’s 38 points were the most by a Celtic in his debut, the AP reported. Tatum, in his first full season since tearing his Achilles tendon in May 2025, missed all seven of his 3-point attempts. Detroit finished 15 of 40 from beyond the arc; Boston made 17 of 42.
What the opener says about these Pistons
Detroit went 60-22 last season, earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference, beat Orlando in seven games and lost to Cleveland in six in the conference semifinals, WXYZ reported. The roster then changed: Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert and Marcus Sasser are gone, and the front office led by Trajan Langdon added shooters including John Collins and Isaiah Joe.
Cunningham has said the team felt “slept on,” according to The Detroit News. Tuesday’s win did not settle that argument, but it showed a rotation that could change a game. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s explanation for the turnaround was brief. “Ausar Thompson,” he said, according to The Detroit News. “That simple.” Thompson played 33 minutes, well above the 26 he averaged last season.
Duren, who signed a five-year, $200 million extension this month, described the team as one “known to never quit,” The Detroit News reported. It is one game of 82. The early-season tests ahead are on the road.
When do the Pistons play next?
The Pistons open a three-game road trip at the Miami Heat on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. ET. Most Pistons games this season air free over the air on The Spot – Detroit 20 and stream on DAZN; see our Detroit Pistons schedule and TV guide for the full list.
- Fri., Oct. 23: at Miami, 8 p.m. ET (The Spot – Detroit 20, DAZN)
- Sun., Oct. 25: at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET (The Spot – Detroit 20, DAZN)
- Tue., Oct. 27: at New York, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
How to watch Pistons at Heat on Friday
- Antenna: tune an over-the-air antenna to The Spot – Detroit 20 before the 8 p.m. ET tip.
- Streaming: sign in to DAZN at DAZN.com/Pistons if you are out of antenna range.
- Radio: listen on 97.1 The Ticket.
For results from the Lions, Red Wings and the rest of the city’s teams, check our latest Detroit sports scores. Our Pistons vs. Celtics viewing guide has background on the opener’s broadcast.
Reporting drawn from The Detroit News, The Associated Press game recap (via CBS Sports) and Boston.com.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the Pistons vs. Celtics game?
The Pistons beat the Celtics 121-113 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. It was the first game of the NBA season for both teams.
How big was the Pistons’ comeback?
Detroit trailed by 22 points early in the third quarter. The Detroit News reported that it was the largest comeback in an NBA opener in at least 28 years.
Who led the Pistons in scoring?
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 points. Duncan Robinson added 21, and Javonte Green scored 19 after sitting out the first half.
What channel is the Pistons’ next game on?
The Pistons play at Miami on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. ET. Locally, the game is listed on The Spot – Detroit 20, with streaming on DAZN.
Last updated Oct. 21, 2026.
Leave a Reply