The NBA returns in a big way: a 22-point comeback, a surprise in New York, and a rematch in the West

The NBA 2026-27 kicked off with a triple header full of stories, comebacks, and unfinished business. The Detroit Pistons staged a spectacular comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers spoiled the New York Knicks' championship celebration at Madison Square Garden, and the Oklahoma City Thunder secured a victory against the San Antonio Spurs in the rematch of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

The opening day of the season featured three games with very different protagonists. Detroit overcame a 22-point deficit, Philadelphia triumphed on a historic night for New York, and Oklahoma City confirmed its ability to compete against one of its toughest rivals.

The Pistons overcome 22 points and surprise the Celtics

The Detroit Pistons began the season with a 121-113 victory over the Boston Celtics in a game that seemed headed for a very different ending. Detroit found itself 22 points down but managed to completely change the course of the game during the fourth quarter.

The star of the comeback was Duncan Robinson, who led a 23-0 run that transformed an unfavorable game into a memorable victory for the Pistons. The comeback allowed Detroit to close the game with an eight-point lead and start the season with a significant win.

According to ESPN Research, this is the largest comeback by the Pistons against the Celtics in the last 30 seasons. This statistic reflects the magnitude of a reaction that radically changed the flow of the game and turned the debut of both teams into one of the major stories of the opening day.

For Boston, the loss meant letting a considerable lead slip away. Detroit, on the other hand, found the necessary response in the final quarter to complete a comeback that was hardly anticipated when the deficit reached 22 points.

Image

The 76ers ruin the Knicks' celebration in New York

Madison Square Garden experienced a special night with the ceremony in which the New York Knicks raised their championship banner for the first time in 50 years. However, the celebration did not end as the local fans had hoped: the Philadelphia 76ers won 106-100 and took the victory in the season opener.

Philadelphia showcased a revamped roster featuring Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. The combination of talent allowed the 76ers to defeat the champions on their home court and turn a night meant to celebrate New York's title into a loss for the locals.

Maxey led Philadelphia's offense with 28 points, four rebounds, and five assists. Brown added 19 points, while Embiid finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. James, for his part, contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, completing a performance in which he also helped create plays and worked under the boards.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson was the team's leading scorer with 21 points. However, his contribution was not enough to prevent the defeat on a day that combined the celebration of the championship with the first competitive challenge of the new season.

Philadelphia's victory also stood out for the distribution of offensive production among its key players. Maxey was the leading scorer, but Brown, Embiid, and James also reached double digits, while the Knicks could not capitalize on the emotional boost from the ceremony to start their title defense with a win.

The Thunder defeat the Spurs in the West rematch

The day concluded with one of the most anticipated matchups: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder. Five months after San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City in the seventh game to reach the NBA Finals, the two teams met again, this time at the beginning of the regular season.

The continuity of a significant portion of both teams' cores added interest to the game. Both teams featured several players already familiar with the intensity of their previous matchups, in a duel marked by tension and individual matchups.

This time, the victory went to the Thunder, who won 116-104. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 32 points, making 13 of his 27 field goal attempts. The two-time consecutive MVP returned to be his team's main offensive reference and led a significant win in this first chapter of the new season.

For San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama had a tough night shooting. The Spurs' star finished with 12 points and shot one of 13 from the field. His offensive performance was far from expectations, although he made his mark on defense with six blocks.

The victory allowed Oklahoma City to start the season by overcoming a rival they know well, while San Antonio will have to turn the page after a debut where Wembanyama's shooting struggles impacted the team's offensive performance.

Three games and three stories to open the season

The first day of the NBA offered three different outcomes. Detroit recorded the most spectacular comeback of the night by overcoming a 22-point deficit against Boston; Philadelphia silenced Madison Square Garden during the Knicks' championship celebration; and Oklahoma City avenged itself against San Antonio in a matchup that reunited two protagonists from the last stretch of the playoffs.

With these three victories, the 2026-27 season began with eye-catching results and several focal points. The Pistons' comeback, the victorious debut of the revamped 76ers, and the Thunder's triumph over the Spurs marked an opening day that clearly showed that the new season was starting with a lot to tell.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La NBA vuelve por todo lo alto: remontada de 22 puntos, sorpresa en Nueva York y revancha en el Oeste