In the aftermath of a lengthy offseason, the Detroit Pistons finally returned to business with a thrilling 121-113 comeback win over the Boston Celtics on Opening Day. 

As the first matchup of the 2026-27 regular season, the Pistons hosted the Celtics for an early edition of afternoon hoops, and the home squad rolled out the blue carpet before pulling off a massive 22-point comeback on Tuesday afternoon, one that was telling for the rest of the season. 

During the offseason, the Pistons worked hard on building a deep bench and executed several trades to bring three-point shooters into the Motor City. But against the Celtics, only six players were called off the bench to help spark Detroit’s comeback victory. Rookie point guard Ebuka Okorie, for example, logged a grand total of zero minutes in the Pistons season opener, and Javonte Green didn’t enter the game until after halftime. 

While these rotation decisions may seem puzzling, the Pistons have additional avenues during game-closing situations this year. Since the squad shifted to a more dynamic ratio with extra shooters, Detroit now has extra scripts to turn to, and the early portion of the season is the right time to test out those combinations. 

Much like last year, the two-man combination of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren will need to be switched on each game to give the Pistons a chance. That All-Star duo each surpassed the 20-point threshold against the Celtics, but the Pistons would have been in trouble without their scoring contributions. 

In the season opener, John Collins looked like he was still trying to fit into the team’s offense, which makes sense. Tuesday afternoon marked Collins’ regular season debut with the Pistons, so the veteran power forward’s six-point effort makes sense from that lens. However, Collins is entrusted with a greater piece of offensive responsibility than he showed against Boston, and he’ll be called upon to deliver more as the season progresses. 

With only one game in the books, the Pistons have a small sample size to work off of. While the fact that Detroit got off to such a slow start and allowed the Celtics to build a 20-point lead is objectively concerning, the Pistons showed immense resolve by fighting back late in the fourth quarter to turn the tides. 

In a very Detroit-like fashion, the Pistons ratcheted up their defensive intensity in the second half against Boston and used their pressure to generate easier looks on the other end. That recipe allowed for the Pistons to to execute the largest comeback victory on Opening Day of the play-by-play era, and it set the tone for the lengthy regular season that still rests ahead.