The Pistons’ season opener was the kind of reminder that can reshape early-season opinions in a hurry. Detroit trailed Boston by as many as 22 points, then flipped the game with a huge second-half surge, outscoring the Celtics 76-55 after halftime and 39-25 down the stretch. By the end of it, the Pistons had ripped off a 23-0 run and walked away with a 121-113 win.
That result is exactly why Detroit and Toronto feel so easy to compare right now. Both teams can drag an opponent into a street fight.
Both are built around a grind-it-out identity. And both, at least on paper, have the kind of roster questions that make you wonder just how far the ceiling really stretches.
Detroit’s opener also showed how much the Pistons may need outside shooting to keep everything moving. Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green each buried five threes, but beyond that the scoring punch from deep was hard to find.
Cade Cunningham finished 1-for-6, John Collins went 0-for-3, Isaiah Joe was 2-for-7 and Kevin Huerter went 1-for-4. The team still found a way, which says plenty about its toughness, but the three-point issue is still very much part of the picture.
That’s where the Raptors enter the conversation. Toronto has lived with similar problems, and the comparison gets even tighter when you look at the kind of role players both teams may need to lean on. For the Raptors, names like Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamison Battle, Jamal Shead or Alijah Martin could be the type of pieces who have to hit shots and keep the offense afloat.
Detroit’s core is no joke, either. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren give the Pistons a talented young foundation, and last season’s finish showed why they’re being talked about as an emerging threat in the East. Toronto, meanwhile, only got back to the playoffs last season.
Even so, the Raptors may have the one thing that tips the balance: Kawhi Leonard.
Scottie Barnes remains the centerpiece, but Leonard brings a different kind of weight to the roster. He is the player with championship experience, the one who has already lived through playoff pressure and reached the top. That matters when you’re talking about a team trying to move from competitive to dangerous.
There are still plenty of unknowns. It isn’t clear how many games Leonard will play this season, or whether he can look like last year’s Second-Team All-NBA version of himself now that he’s back in Toronto.
But he’s there, and that alone changes the conversation. Fans and media have every reason to believe he can lift the team beyond what its flaws might otherwise allow.
Detroit’s win over Boston was a loud warning not to dismiss the Pistons. They’re physical, they defend, and they’re not going anywhere. Still, the Raptors have a possible separator in Leonard, and that’s why Toronto feels like the team that could take a similar blueprint and push it a step further.
It may be early to say that before the Raptors have even played a game in the 2026-27 season, but the thought is hard to shake after watching Detroit and Boston battle it out. Over the next 82 games, this comparison should get a lot clearer.
In Other News...
Ex-Raptors Coach Just Poured Cold Water On Toronto Hype
The Raptors have generated plenty of optimism heading into the future, but Sam Mitchell is not buying into a sudden leap just yet. The former Toronto coach, speaking with SiriusXM NBA Radio host Brian Geltzeiler, said he sees the club as more of an eighth-place team in the East for the 2026-27 season, pointing to how often Toronto struggled against winning opponents last year as a reason for his caution.
Mitchell also raised the familiar question of availability when it comes to Kawhi Leonard, wondering whether Leonard would be on the floor often enough to shift Torontos trajectory in a meaningful way. It is the same kind of skepticism Mitchell voiced when the Raptors first landed Leonard before the 2018-19 season, which gives his current take a little extra weight, even if it is the kind of projection that will not sit well with a fan base hoping for a bigger breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Fans Already Have A Jersey Debate They Never Wanted
The Raptors are already set to give fans something new to argue about next season, with a Sun Life Financial logo patch slated to appear on two of the teams Swingman Statement jerseys for 2026-27. The patch will feature a large yellow circle with Sun Life printed underneath, tying directly into the companys recent global rebrand and making the sponsor mark a far more noticeable part of the jersey design.
It will show up on jerseys sold at specific locations and will also stay on Torontos uniforms as part of the sponsorship agreement, which means this is not just a retail touch but a visible part of the on-court look. For a fan base that pays close attention to every detail of the uniform, it adds another layer to the ongoing conversation around how much branding belongs on a jersey in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Made Jamal Shead A Much Bigger Long Term Bet
Jamal Sheads rise from defensive specialist to a more central piece of the Raptors future took a clear step forward with a three-year, $24 million extension. Toronto is buying into the parts of Sheads game that already stand out, especially his pressure defense and the kind of passing that helps a lineup stay organized and connected, even when the offense is still finding its way.
The bet now is whether Shead can grow beyond what he already is and become a more dependable scoring threat. His defensive rsum is already decorated, with consecutive AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and the 2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award, but the Raptors long-term return will likely hinge on how much he can add as a shooter and creator. [Read more 🡒]