Pistons erase 22-point deficit to beat Celtics 121-113 in season opener despite Paul George's 38

How the game finished

The Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 121-113 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the first game of the NBA's 2026-27 regular season, played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Boston led by as many as 22 points before Detroit took over the second half, according to the Boston Globe and NBC Boston. ^{[1] [4]}

The game opened a three-game opening-night slate that also included the 76ers at the Knicks and the Thunder at the Spurs, with the Celtics-Pistons tip-off set for 3 p.m. Eastern. ^[5]

The comeback

Boston led 58-45 at halftime, the Globe reported. Detroit then used a 32-13 run in the third quarter to cut a 22-point deficit to three, according to the Detroit Free Press. ^{[1] [3]}

Boston's lead was down to 10 early in the fourth quarter, the Globe said, and Detroit then scored more than 20 consecutive points to take control. The Free Press put the run at 23-0, with its largest lead, 112-99, coming on a Green basket with 3:33 left. The Globe described a 22-0 stretch. The Free Press, citing NBA Communications, said the 22-point comeback was the largest on an opening day in the play-by-play era. ^{[1] [3]}

Ausar Thompson's defense helped drive the turnaround. The Free Press reported he forced several turnovers, including a steal from Boston center Neemias Queta that led to a fast-break dunk by Cunningham. Thompson also hit the go-ahead basket in the paint late, the Globe said. ^{[3] [1]}

Top performers

George, playing his first game for Boston, scored 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including 7 of 12 from three-point range and 7 of 8 at the free-throw line. He added five rebounds, three assists and five steals in 31 minutes, the Sporting News reported. The previous Celtics debut record was Kristaps Porzingis's 30 points on Oct. 25, 2023, against the Knicks. ^[2]

Tatum scored 13 points with 11 assists but shot 6 of 23 from the field and 0 of 7 from three, according to NBC Boston. ^[4]

For Detroit, Cunningham had 22 points and eight assists, and Jalen Duren had 22 points and nine rebounds, the Free Press reported. Duncan Robinson scored 21, with 15 of them in the fourth quarter. Javonte Green, who did not play in the first half, scored 19 on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, 11 of those points coming in the third quarter. Robinson and Green combined to hit 10 of 17 from beyond the arc, the Globe said. ^{[3] [1]}

Pregame lineups listed Mitchell Robinson, in his first season with Boston, as a Celtics starter alongside George, Tatum, Derrick White and Jordan Walsh. Detroit's projected starters were Cunningham, Thompson, Duncan Robinson, John Collins and Duren. Full box-score lines for Mitchell Robinson and Queta were not available in the sources reviewed. ^{[6] [7]}

Context

Detroit enters the season after finishing as the East's top seed and losing in the second round of last season's playoffs. Duren agreed to a five-year, $200 million extension in early October, according to a pregame Yahoo Sports report. Boston began its first season since Brown's departure. ^[7]

Detroit's coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, said of Thompson afterward, "how disruptive can he be on that end of the floor?" ^[3]