The 2026-27 NBA season opened on Tuesday 20 October (US time) with a tripleheader, and all three games delivered. According to NBA.com, the Detroit Pistons overturned a 22-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 121-113, the new-look Philadelphia 76ers spoiled the New York Knicks' banner night with a 106-100 win, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-104 in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals.
Opening-day results
| Game (home team first) | Score | Top scorer |
|---|---|---|
| Pistons vs Celtics | 121-113 | Paul George (Celtics), 38 |
| Knicks vs 76ers | 100-106 | Tyrese Maxey (76ers), 28 |
| Spurs vs Thunder | 104-116 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), 32 |
Detroit's 23-0 run
Detroit trailed 72-50 midway through the third quarter and 99-89 with 8:19 left, then outscored Boston 23-0 in about five minutes. NBA.com says it is the largest opening-day comeback since play-by-play tracking began in 1997-98. Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham scored 22 each, Duncan Robinson added 21 and Javonte Green 19, all after half-time. Paul George's 38 points were the most in a Celtics debut, beating Kristaps Porziņģis's 30 in 2023, while Jayson Tatum shot 6-for-23.
Sixers spoil the party
The Knicks raised their championship banner before tip-off, but Tyrese Maxey scored 28 and LeBron James (14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) and Jaylen Brown (19, eight, six) made winning Sixers debuts. Philadelphia shot just 27.5% from three but held New York to 42 second-half points. "I think we played exceptionally well, especially on defense," James said.
Thunder strike first in the West
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 32 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks, extending his all-time record of consecutive 20-point games to 141. Victor Wembanyama went 1-for-13 for 12 points, with 13 rebounds and six blocks, as Chet Holmgren led the defensive effort; Jared McCain hit six of eight threes for 20 points. "This group's hungry," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
What comes next
Day two, Wednesday 21 October (US time), was scheduled by NBA.com with 11 games as the other 22 teams opened their seasons. The headline game was Miami hosting Minnesota at 7:30pm ET (6:30am on 22 October, Vietnam time), with Giannis Antetokounmpo debuting for the Heat and LaMelo Ball for the Wolves after their June trades, followed by Stephen Curry's Warriors at Luka Dončić's Lakers at 10pm ET (9am Vietnam time). See our storylines to watch this NBA season and more in Sports.