The Detroit Pistons could not have scripted a better start to the 2026-27 NBA season.

After trailing the Boston Celtics by as many as 22 points in the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit unleashed a remarkable 23-0 fourth-quarter run and outscored Boston 39-25 in the final period to win 121-113 on Tuesday afternoon.

Cade Cunningham addressed the crowd at midcourt before tip-off, saying 'The NBA wanted to start the league in Detroit this season. Let's start it off right,' and his team made that statement stick with one of the most dramatic comebacks imaginable.

For most of the afternoon, Boston appeared ready to spoil Detroit's opener. The Celtics led 28-27 after one quarter, then outscored Detroit 30-18 in the second to take a 58-45 halftime lead, and Paul George's scoring pushed the margin to 72-50 in the third.

The Boston Globe reports that Detroit's comeback was the largest on the first day of an NBA season since at least 1997-98, making the fourth-quarter flip genuinely historic rather than just a strong closing stretch.

Against a fellow Eastern Conference contender, the Pistons simply refused to surrender.

Cunningham finished with 22 points and eight assists while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, and Jalen Duren — days removed from a five-year, $200 million contract extension — matched him with 22 points, nine rebounds and 8-for-13 shooting.

Duncan Robinson added 21 points on 5-of-9 from three, and Ausar Thompson contributed 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

The unlikely spark was Javonte Green, who exploded for 19 points off the bench on 5-of-8 from deep, including three straight triples that fueled a 32-13 burst that cut Boston's lead to 88-82 entering the fourth.

George's Boston debut was dazzling even in defeat: the 36-year-old poured in 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting and 7-of-12 from three, adding five rebounds, three assists and five steals in 31 minutes.

According to The Boston Globe, the 38 points set a franchise record for a Celtics debut, and the Boston Herald reports it was the highest-scoring team debut in Celtics history.

Jayson Tatum, however, struggled, finishing with 13 points on 6-for-23 shooting and 0-for-7 from three, though he dished out 11 assists in a game-high 38 minutes.

Yahoo Sports notes the Pistons showed exactly why expectations are so high heading into the new season, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had emphasized playing with the same competitive identity that fueled last year's success.

Boston, meanwhile, saw Mitchell Robinson roll his left ankle three minutes into the second quarter, per the Boston Herald, a frontcourt depth test worth monitoring.

Detroit opens the 2026-27 season at 1-0 with a signature win already in hand, while Boston must regroup quickly before hosting the defending NBA champion New York Knicks in its home opener Friday at 7 p.m.

The Celtics also debuted the starting lineup of Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, George, Tatum and Mitchell Robinson that carried over from the preseason, and the early moments were choppy, including turnovers on their first three possessions.

For Detroit fans, though, Tuesday delivered plenty of reasons to feel excited about another memorable season.