NBA Season Opens: Pistons Stun Celtics, Thunder Win
Detroit kicked off the NBA 2026-27 season by beating Boston 121-113, while defending champions Oklahoma City held off San Antonio on opening night action.
The NBA’s 2026-27 season tipped off this week and the opening slate wasted no time delivering surprises. In headline games on opening nite, the Detroit Pistons downed the Boston Celtics 121-113, and defending champion Oklahoma City started the defense of its title with a 116-104 road win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Pistons open with a statement win
Detroit's win over Boston was exactly the kind of result that gets a young team's season off to a confident start. The Pistons controlled the game against a Celtics roster that remains one of the more talented in the conference, and the eight-point margin undersold how much Detroit dictated the pace for long stretches. For a franchise that's been building steadily over recent seasons, beating Boston on opening night is a meaningful early marker.
Thunder begin their title defense on the road
Oklahoma City didn't make things easy on itself, needing a strong effort to put away San Antonio 116-104 on the road. The win is a modest but important first step for a team that will spend all season fielding questions about repeating as champions, with every opponent circling the Thunder on their schedule as the team to beat.
Around the league on opening night
Philadelphia opened with a 106-100 win over the New York Knicks, and the Los Angeles Lakers routed Golden State 127-105 in a marquee West Coast matchup. The Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 128-110, and the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled past the Miami Heat 131-106. Indiana edged New Orleans 123-120, and the LA Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings 121-96. Portland handled Phoenix 124-83 in one of the more lopsided results of the night, while Toronto blew out Chicago 135-92.
What's next
With opening night in the books, the league moves into its first full slate of regular-season action, including a marquee matchup between Oklahoma City and Denver and an early measuring-stick game between Boston and New York. Teams will play several games over the coming days as the early-season picture starts to take shape across both conferences.
Sources and further reading: NBA scores and schedule
About the Author
Daniel Osei
Sports Writer
Daniel Osei writes about major leagues, national teams, athlete performance, and the business of sport. He covers game outcomes, roster and front-office moves, and the money behind franchises, broadcasts, and sponsorships. Results and records are checked against league or governing-body data when available.