The Detroit Pistons opened the season with a comeback that will live in franchise lore. Detroit beat Boston 121-113 on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena, erasing a 22 point deficit with a 23-0 run in the fourth quarter.

Boston controlled the afternoon for most of three quarters. Paul George hit three three pointers in under a minute early in the third and the Celtics led 72-50. George finished with 38 points on 12 of 21 shooting with 7 threes, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals, the most points ever scored by a player in a Celtics debut. Detroit cut the lead to six by the end of the third quarter and the building started to believe.

The run arrived all at once. Boston led 99-89 with about eight minutes left, and then Detroit scored 23 straight points. Javonte Green hit the go ahead three, Jalen Duren added a three point play and Duncan Robinson hit another three to make it 107-99. Green's fifth three pushed the lead to 112-99 with 3:33 left and Boston never recovered. Green scored 19 points in 18 minutes off the bench after not playing at all in the first half. Cade Cunningham and Duren scored 22 each and Robinson scored 21 with 15 in the fourth quarter.

Jayson Tatum's quiet night is the other half of the story. In his first full season since tearing his Achilles tendon in May 2025, Tatum scored 13 points on 6 of 23 shooting, missed all 7 of his threes and handed out 11 assists. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard scored 17 each for Boston. Detroit is the first team to finish a 20 point comeback on the first day of a season since 1997. The Pistons visit Miami on Friday and the Celtics host the Knicks the same night.

Key Facts

  • Final: Pistons 121, Celtics 113 in the season opener at Little Caesars Arena
  • The run: 23 straight Detroit points in the fourth quarter, flipping 99-89 down into 112-99 up
  • Debut: Paul George scored 38, a Celtics debut record, with 5 steals
  • Spark: Javonte Green scored 19 in 18 bench minutes after sitting the whole first half
  • History: First 20 point comeback finished on the first day of a season since 1997

More NBA News