DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons turned an early season nightmare into a statement victory on Tuesday, storming back from a 22-point deficit to stun the Boston Celtics 121-113 in a high-octane NBA season opener.
The matinee matchup, selected by the league to headline the start of the campaign, lived up to the billing with a tale of two halves. Boston looked every bit the powerhouse early on, led by marquee offseason acquisition Paul George. In his highly anticipated debut for the Celtics, the 17-year veteran was electric, dropping a team-record 38 points in his first game since being acquired from Philadelphia in the blockbuster trade involving 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.
Boston’s dominance peaked early in the third quarter when George drained three consecutive 3-pointers in less than a minute, ballooning the Celtics’ lead to 72-50.
However, the tide turned abruptly. As Boston cooled off, Detroit’s depth began to dictate the pace. By the end of the third, the Pistons had clawed back to within six points, setting the stage for a dramatic fourth-quarter surge.
Javonte Green, who did not see a single minute of action in the first half, emerged as the unlikely hero for Detroit. Green finished the game with 19 points, including a critical 3-pointer with 3:33 remaining that extended the Pistons’ lead to 13. The shot came after a notable lack of defensive hustle from Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who struggled to find his rhythm throughout the afternoon.
Tatum, playing his first full season since tearing his Achilles tendon in May 2025, finished with 13 points and 11 assists but made only 6 of his 23 field goal attempts. His defensive lapses proved costly as the Pistons poured it on in the final frame. A decisive sequence involving a go-ahead 3-pointer from Green, a tough three-point play by Jalen Duren, and a clutch triple from Duncan Robinson vaulted Detroit ahead 107-99 with five minutes left to play.
“We knew we weren’t out of it,” said Detroit’s floor general, Cade Cunningham, who finished with 22 points and eight assists.
Duren was a force in the paint for the Pistons, contributing 22 points and nine rebounds. Robinson added 21 points on efficient long-range shooting, and Ausar Thompson chipped in a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. For Boston, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard each tallied 17 points, but the team had no answer for the balanced Detroit attack in the closing minutes.
The Celtics will look to rebound when they host the New York Knicks this Friday. Meanwhile, the Pistons will attempt to carry their momentum into a road matchup against the Miami Heat, also scheduled for Friday.
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