The Detroit Pistons spent their 2026 offseason with one clear priority: get better from three. After finishing just above the bottom of the league in three-point shooting volume, they knew Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren needed more support around them, and they set out to build it.
The early evidence looked promising in the 2026-27 regular season opener.
Detroit fell behind by as many as 22 points against the Boston Celtics, then stormed back for a 121-113 win in a game that demanded contributions from almost everyone. The comeback itself was impressive, but the biggest takeaway came from the way the Pistons played offensively - especially from beyond the arc.
A year ago, Detroit finished the 2025-26 regular season ranked No. 29 in three-point field goal attempts at 30.8 per game. In the opener, the Pistons put up 40 threes and also got to the free throw line multiple times on fouls drawn on attempts from deep.
Duncan Robinson, one of the returnees, led the way from long range, but the bigger story was the added depth behind him. That depth helped spark the kind of perimeter volume Detroit has been missing.
The Pistons fired away early, taking 14 threes in the first 18 minutes of the game - almost half of last season’s average output for an entire night. The shots didn’t all fall, and plenty of players looked like they were still getting back into rhythm, but the approach still held up.
Detroit finished 15-of-40 from three, with Robinson and Javonte Green combining for 10 makes. Isaiah Joe made his regular season Pistons debut and took seven threes, Kevin Huerter got up four, and even Ausar Thompson - not known for his shooting - showed a willingness to launch from deep, though he missed.
That constant threat from outside forced Boston to stay honest, which opened things up for Cunningham, Duren and Thompson to do damage closer to the basket.
Detroit outscored Boston 76-55 in the second half, and the three-point change was a major reason why. The Pistons also erased Paul George’s huge night without needing Cunningham or Duren to match him shot for shot.
If this is the new normal, Detroit’s offense is in for a big leap.
In Other News...
Pistons First Win Suddenly Put Ron Hollands Role Under Pressure
The Pistons first win of the season came with a reminder that every rotation spot is up for grabs when a young team starts sorting itself out. Detroit erased a 22-point deficit against the Celtics, and Javonte Green was a big part of the turnaround, giving the comeback a lift with 19 points and disruptive defense that helped steady the group when it needed it most.
Ron Holland II found himself on the other side of that surge, as limited minutes and foul trouble kept him from getting much of a foothold in the game. His shooting struggles only sharpened the question of how Detroit will allocate playing time going forward, especially after a performance like Greens gave the coaching staff another option to lean on. [Read more 🡒]
Ausar Thompson Showed One Trait The Pistons Need A Lot More
Ausar Thompsons season opener offered a little bit of everything the Pistons have been waiting to see from him, including a more assertive offensive edge. He finished with 11 points, five assists and 11 rebounds, and there were stretches where he looked ready to take control instead of simply fitting in around everyone else. The most encouraging moment came late, when he knocked down a contested jumper that helped seal Detroits win.
For most of the night, though, Thompson was still more passive than imposing, which is why the growth he showed matters so much for this team. The Pistons need his confidence and aggression to rise as the season goes on, especially if they want his all-around talent to translate into a bigger and more consistent offensive role. Early signs suggest the tools are there, but the next step is making those assertive moments come more often. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Roster Crunch Just Put Chaz Lanier On Notice
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Dalton Knechts release by the Lakers before his third season is a reminder of how quickly a young player can slide from promising to vulnerable when the fit stops working. Lanier is facing a similar kind of pressure in Detroit, where the margin for error is shrinking and the competition for a spot is getting tighter by the day. [Read more 🡒]