The Boston Celtics opened the 2026-27 NBA season with a collapse they won’t forget anytime soon.
After building a 22-point cushion on Tuesday, Boston let it slip away and fell 121-113 to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. The defeat not only spoiled what looked like a comfortable road win, it also snapped a 38-game streak tied to the Celtics handling big leads.
“Celtics blew a 22-point lead today, their largest blown lead since they blew a 22-point lead vs the Cavs on Feb. 28, 2025.
Boston was 38-0 when leading by 20+ points last season, incl. playoffs,” statistician Keerthika Uthayakumar shared via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.
Even a massive night from Paul George couldn’t save Boston from the unraveling. Making his Celtics debut, the veteran forward poured in 38 points and set the franchise mark for most points by a player in his first game for Boston. It was the kind of individual performance that should have carried the night - but Detroit’s second-half push turned it into a footnote.
Jayson Tatum had the opposite kind of evening. He finished with 13 points on 6-for-23 shooting, though he also handed out 11 assists. The production was there in flashes, but the efficiency never came.
Detroit got balanced scoring from Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, who each finished with 19 points. Javonte Green added another 19 off the bench, and every one of those came in the second half as the Pistons stormed back.
Boston, now 0-1, will try to reset quickly when it hosts the New York Knicks at TD Garden on Friday.
In Other News...
Paul Georges Celtics Debut Came With One Awkward Twist
Paul Georges first night in a Celtics uniform had plenty for Boston to feel good about, even with the season opener ending in a loss to Detroit. The veteran wing arrived with the kind of scoring punch the Celtics expected, immediately showing why the team went after him, and he also climbed past Kyle Korver on the all-time 3-point list in the process.
Georges debut did come with one awkward footnote, though, after the league fined him $2,000 for a flopping incident in the fourth quarter against Duncan Robinson. It was a strange little coda to a performance that otherwise fit the kind of instant impact Boston was hoping for, and it left his first Celtics game as both a milestone and a reminder that even big nights can come with a hiccup. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Let Opening Night Slip Away For One Frustrating Reason
For a while, it looked like Boston had done plenty to make the season opener routine. The Celtics built a 22-point lead against Detroit, only to watch it evaporate in a 121-113 loss that turned into a frustrating reminder that early-season games can flip fast when the energy and execution slip.
The second half was where everything tightened up on Bostons side, with offensive struggles and defensive lapses opening the door for Detroit to keep chipping away. Joe Mazzulla and Derrick White both pointed to the momentum swings and the Celtics inability to stabilize things, while the Pistons made the most of their perimeter shooting and second-chance opportunities to turn a night that felt under control into one Boston will want back. [Read more 🡒]
Mitchell Robinson Put Immediate Pressure On His Celtics Debut
Mitchell Robinsons first regular-season run with the Celtics offered a quick reminder that the adjustment period can start immediately. In his debut against the Pistons, Robinson was already measuring his own performance against the standard Boston expects, and he made clear afterward that he knows the next step is to bring a higher level of competition every night.
The early takeaway was less about the box score than the tone Robinson set for himself after the game. He pointed to his rebounding as the area that bothered him most, while also saying he tweaked his ankle but expects to be okay, leaving Boston with a clearer picture of both the physical and competitive demands that come with adding him to the mix. [Read more 🡒]