Duncan Robinson scored 21 factors to spark a fierce second-half fightback and the Detroit Pistons beat visiting Boston 121-113 on Tuesday in the opening sport of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren led Detroit with 22 factors every, whereas reserve Javonte Green added 19 factors and Ausar Thompson had 11 factors and 11 rebounds.
The Pistons trailed by as many as 22 factors earlier than seizing command with a 23-0 fourth-quarter run, Robinson scoring 12 in the streak, to seize a 112-99 benefit.
Green’s three-pointer with 6:41 remaining gave the Pistons the lead for the primary time since early in the second quarter at 101-99, and the Celtics by no means led once more.
“We just didn’t do our brand of basketball good enough in the first half, and we had to turn it up,” Cunningham mentioned. “We had a good talk at halftime and lit that fire a little bit better.
“We’ve simply received to get our camaraderie, our synergy, somewhat bit higher, however that may come because the season goes on.”
Boston’s Paul George scored 38 points, the most by any player in his Celtics debut.
The 36-year-old American forward, a nine-time NBA All-Star obtained from Philadelphia in a July commerce that despatched Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, added 5 rebounds, 5 steals and three assists.
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard every added 17 factors whereas Jayson Tatum had 13 on 6-of-23 shooting.
George scored 12 of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter as the Celtics, aided by a 15-0 run, grabbed a 58-45 halftime lead.
Detroit made a 27-9 run in the third quarter, pulling within 88-82 entering the fourth, and Green shot 5-of-8 from three-point range and Cunningham 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to ignite Detroit’s comeback.
The Pistons, Eastern Conference regular-season champions in the last campaign, and runner-up Boston set the stage for an impressive opening night for the NBA’s 81st season.
Superstar LeBron James and his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates start their marketing campaign later Tuesday in New York because the Knicks elevate their 2026 championship banner to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Victor Wembanyama and the NBA runner-up San Antonio Spurs launch their season with a later residence sport towards Oklahoma City in a rematch of final season’s Western Conference Finals.
Follow the NBA better than ever
The best basketball league in the world is back, and Flashscore is improving our coverage of the NBA with match previews based on key stats and facts ahead of each game!
