The Detroit Pistons kicked off their 2026-27 season with an absolute stunner, erasing a 22-point third-quarter deficit against the Boston Celtics to grab a 121-113 victory. Talk about setting a tone for the year and starting 1-0 right out of the gate!
Detroit’s Unstoppable Fourth Quarter Surge
Things looked bleak for the Pistons heading into the final frame. Boston’s Paul George was absolutely cooking, hitting three straight 3-pointers in the third quarter alone and finishing the game with a massive 38 points. That’s the most points *ever* by a Celtic in his first game with the team, by the way. He pushed Boston to a 72-50 lead, and it felt like the game was slipping away. But then, something clicked. The Pistons ripped off an incredible 23-0 run in the fourth quarter. That’s not a typo, a full 23 straight points to completely flip the script and take control.
Five Pistons players put up double digits in what was clearly a total team effort. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren both dropped 22 points each, with Cunningham also dishing out eight assists and Duren pulling down nine boards. Duncan Robinson was right there with 21 points, Javonte Green added 19 huge points (all of which came after halftime, by the way), and Ausar Thompson chipped in with 11 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Seriously, a comeback like that takes everyone firing on all cylinders.
The Crowd That Refused to Quit
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was quick to credit the fans for fueling that insane comeback. He told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press, “I thought it was awesome. When you get to opening tip you don’t know what to expect. When we got out there it was full, it was crowded and you felt the energy in the second half.” And you know what? He’s got a point. A 3 p.m. tip-off on a Tuesday? That’s an unusual start time, but Little Caesars Arena was packed.
Even when Detroit was down by 22 in the third quarter, looking completely out of it, the crowd stuck with them. That’s the kind of dedication that can genuinely lift a team. Bickerstaff wasn’t talking about the box score when he mentioned the building, he was talking about the unwavering support. Both the team and the crowd proved something huge in the first game of the season: they weren’t going to roll over.
What a way to go 1-0. If this is the kind of fight and fan support we’re going to see all season, then Detroit is in for one hell of a ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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