Few venues are better to open the 2026-27 NBA season than the TD Garden in Boston, where the Celtics – now without Jaylen Brown and with Jayson Tatum as their sole leader – host a Detroit Pistons side eager to show that last season’s achievements were no flash in the pan.
Celtics vs Pistons date and time
Date: 20 October 2026 in the UK.
Time: These are the tip-off times for Celtics vs Pistons by time zone.
| UK, Ireland and Portugal | 20:00 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York and Miami), Puerto Rico and Venezuela | 15:00 |
| Mexico (central), USA (Texas and Chicago), El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua | 14:00 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 12:00 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay | 16:00 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama | 15:00 |
Venue: TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
Celtics vs Pistons starting lineups
Both teams arrive at the season opener with their rosters fully available, except for Devin Carter’s absence in Boston and Taurean Prince’s doubtful status in Detroit. Today they should start with these lineups.
| CELTICS | PISTONS |
| Payton Pritchard | Cade Cunningham |
| Derrick White | Duncan Robinson |
| Jayson Tatum | Ausar Thompson |
| Paul George | John Collins |
| Mitchell Robinson | Jalen Duren |
Celtics vs Pistons: best bet
Being the first day, playing at home, and with excitement running high at a fresh start, we lean towards a Boston win in this first game of the season; that said, it promises to be a clash full of strong emotions.
Celtics latest news: injuries and form
Taking a step back to move two steps forward. That is more or less what the Green have planned this summer, when they parted ways with Jaylen Brown to welcome Paul George, who you can clearly argue is a lesser player, but that does not mean he will contribute less to the team as a whole.
That is precisely why, now that he will be able to roam freely, a great deal is expected of Jayson Tatum, who will live through a ‘MVP career’ year and must prove that Boston was right to let go of the 2024 Finals MVP. We obviously trust him fully, both for his own talent and for the pieces around him.
The Celtics arrive at this first game as a solid side with no shortage of alternatives. Defence will once again be key, and it remains to be seen whether Joe Mazzulla gains a bit more flexibility so as not to bet almost everything on outside shooting. And keep an eye on Mitchell Robinson’s contribution!
Player to watch: Jayson Tatum
We cannot open the season with anyone else. The end of last campaign saw his return after a serious injury, and now is the time, finally in shape, to deliver the best version of his career. We expect a lot from his debut and from his season. Let us see how he fares against a truly physical opponent like the Detroit Pistons.
Pistons latest news: injuries and form
With only Taurean Prince’s status in doubt, Detroit face this opening day full of confidence and intent to build on the successful path begun last season. Cade Cunningham remains the leader, and the biggest change is that newcomer John Collins enters the starting five in place of Tobias Harris, now a San Antonio Spurs player.
In reality, the Pistons’ style of basketball is expected to change little from last season. Over the summer they sought a ball-handler to lighten Cade’s workload, and the coaching staff, faced with a lack of reinforcements, have given more responsibility to Ausar Thompson, whom they believe can be considerably more than an elite defender.
They will win plenty of games for sure, but it remains to be seen whether they can claim the first one tonight. Opening at the Garden against the Boston Celtics is no small task.
Player to watch: Cade Cunningham
Following the best season of his career and opening the campaign on the Celtics’ court, a fantastic performance is surely expected from Cade Cunningham, who took the reins of the Michigan franchise some time ago and wants to keep hitting the Eastern Conference favourites hard. He comes off averaging 23.9 points and 9.9 assists, which is no small feat.
Celtics vs Pistons: head-to-head record
These two Eastern Conference classics have met 401 times, and the Celtics’ advantage is clear. The overall record stands at 257 wins to 144 for today’s opponents; however, the gap has been narrower in more recent times, with the Greens leading 6-4 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings.
Celtics vs Pistons predictions
Jayson Tatum over 22.5 points. Boston’s star is expected to take control from the first day and put in a big performance in front of a crowd eager to see him.
Boston Celtics -4.5 handicap. We expect a tight game, but the Massachusetts side should be able to impose their will late on.
Under 220.5 total points. First game, nerves, two strong defences… We bet it will be a game in which the attacks will not have it easy.
Where to watch Celtics vs Pistons
The Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons game can be watched in the UK through a subscription to NBA League Pass and Amazon Prime.