Now that opening night is in the books, it is time to look back at the three games that kicked off the 2026-27 season. Yesterday, I wrote that the Sixers would start slow and that this would be Victor Wembanyama’s MVP year. One night in, I am 0-for-2. The defending champs lost on their own banner night, a Celtics newcomer set a franchise record in a loss, and the Thunder got a little revenge in San Antonio. Here is what stood out.
Pistons 121, Celtics 113: Paul George Was Not Enough
If you only watched the first three quarters, you would think the Paul George trade was the steal of the summer. George scored 38 points in his Celtics debut, hit seven 3-pointers, and added five steals. That is the most points anyone has ever scored in a first game with Boston, passing the 30 Kristaps Porziņģis put up in 2023.
Then the fourth quarter happened. Boston led by as many as 22 and was up 99-89 in the fourth when Detroit went on a 23-0 run to take a 112-99 lead. Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green did the damage from deep. Robinson finished with 21 points, and Green added 19 off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting from three.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 for the Pistons. On the other side, Jayson Tatum had a rough night: 13 points and 11 assists, but 6-of-23 shooting and 0-for-7 from three. Last season’s top two seeds in the East did not disappoint, and the Pistons showed why they finished first.
76ers 106, Knicks 100: Ring Night, Ruined
The Knicks got their rings and raised their first championship banner since 1973 before the game. Jalen Brunson told the Garden crowd that the team wants to bring that joy back. Then the Sixers showed up and spoiled the party.
It was not a pretty game. The Knicks shot 37 percent from the field and 33 percent from three, and Philadelphia’s defense was the difference. The Sixers won the third quarter 29-18 to take control and never gave it back.
Tyrese Maxey led everyone with 28 points. Jaylen Brown had 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in his Sixers debut. LeBron James, starting an NBA-record 24th season, finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, and one of his first plays in a Sixers uniform was a dunk off an alley-oop from Brown. Joel Embiid struggled with his shot but still finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
For New York, Brunson scored 21 but needed 19 shots to get there. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
In my preview, I said four stars and one ball would take time. Apparently, it takes one night. I reserve the right to revisit that by Thanksgiving.
Thunder 116, Spurs 104: The Rivalry Picks Up Where It Left Off
The last time these two teams met, San Antonio won Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals in Oklahoma City. Five months later, the Thunder made sure the rematch did not go the same way.
Oklahoma City led by as many as 26 in the first half and took a 65-44 lead into the locker room. The Spurs opened the second half on a 23-9 run to get back within single digits, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jared McCain shut the door. SGA finished with 32 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and McCain came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers on his way to 20. Chet Holmgren added 14 points and four blocks.
This is the part I did not want to write. Wembanyama, my MVP pick, went 1-of-13 from the field. He still found a way to finish with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks thanks to 10 made free throws, but his only field goal was an alley-oop from De’Aaron Fox as the third quarter ended. Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 24 points, and Dylan Harper added 18.
It did not take long for the bad blood to show up. Fox picked up a Flagrant 1 in the second quarter for throwing Holmgren to the floor, and four players were hit with technicals in the scrum that followed. If this is what the regular season looks like, I cannot wait for May.
Opening Night Scoreboard
| Matchup | Final | Top performer |
|---|---|---|
| Celtics at Pistons | DET 121, BOS 113 | Paul George (BOS): 38 pts, 7 threes, 5 stl |
| 76ers at Knicks | PHI 106, NYK 100 | Tyrese Maxey (PHI): 28 pts |
| Thunder at Spurs | OKC 116, SAS 104 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): 32 pts |
Hold Me to These (Already?)
One night does not make a season, but here is how my preview is holding up.
- MVP: Wembanyama. One field goal in 13 tries is not the start I had in mind. SGA is already making his case for a third straight.
- Biggest letdown: Philadelphia starts slow. The Sixers beat the champs on the road in their first game together. Not slow.
- West Finals: Spurs over Thunder. Oklahoma City won round one. I am sticking with the Spurs, for now.
On to Night Two
The full slate starts tonight with 12 games, including Golden State at the Lakers. Brown and LeBron get their home debut in Philadelphia against Cleveland on Thursday, and the Knicks head to Boston on Friday looking to get back on track. There will be many stories to see play out, and after one night, I already have a lot to take back.
Featured photo: Madison Square Garden sold-out by Emmanuel Milou, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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