DETROIT, MI — Jayson Tatum opened the 2026-27 NBA season with a 38-point performance, leading the Boston Celtics to a 122-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

Tatum entered the season without longtime wingman Jaylen Brown for the first time since joining the league in 2017, but Payton Pritchard helped fill the void with 26 points. Pritchard shot 10-for-13 from the field and knocked down 5-of-6 three-point attempts.

Paul George scored 19 points in his Celtics debut but struggled with his shot, finishing 5-for-15 from the field. He made up for some of those struggles at the line, where he scored six of his points.

Detroit started strong behind Cade Cunningham, who finished with a team-high 25 points. The Pistons held a 26-24 advantage after the opening quarter, but Boston began to take control in the second and carried a 58-56 lead into halftime.

The Celtics broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Detroit 39-32 to build a 97-88 advantage entering the fourth.

Detroit made one final push, winning the fourth quarter 27-25, but could not erase the deficit. Isaiah Joe added 15 points for the Pistons, while Jalen Duren recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Pistons dominated inside, outscoring Boston 56-30 in the paint, and received 38 points from their bench. But the Celtics’ perimeter shooting proved to be the difference, as Boston buried 23 three-pointers to overwhelm Detroit’s defense and open the season with a road victory.