My goodness, what a start to the 2026–27 NBA regular season!
The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons just wrapped up an entertaining opening contest. I honestly wrote off Detroit, thinking Boston had them beat, but their spirited comeback quickly reminded me not to count any team out. The Pistons were on an absolute mission, as they outscored the Celtics 39–25 to close things out. Detroit outscored Boston 76–55 overall in the second half, went on a wild 23–0 run, and ultimately won 121–113 after trailing by as many as 22 points.
I have to tip my cap to the Pistons for their gutsy will to win. Early on, I couldn’t help but focus on some of those offseason concerns coming to light, but in this league, things can turn in the blink of an eye — and it is a game of runs, after all.
Which brings me to my perhaps way-too-soon, but still relevant takeaways on where the Detroit Pistons stack up against our beloved Toronto Raptors. I actually see a lot of similarities between these teams. In fact, I think Detroit and Toronto could make for quite the closely contested rivalry (Miami might not be trailing too far behind) this year, barring any unfortunate injuries or roster setbacks. Both teams have made a trademark of dragging opponents into dogfights and turning games into a grind.
Today, Detroit got a huge boost from guys like Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green, who absolutely shot the lights out from deep (each knocking down five threes). Still, the Pistons’ weak three-point identity sticks out like a sore thumb, even if they've found some sneaky additions to help address it. Outside of those two bright spots, the rest of the guys couldn’t find much of a shooting rhythm: Cade went 1-for-6, John Collins was 0-for-3, Isaiah Joe was 2-for-7, and Kevin Huerter was 1-for-4.
And what other team has been notorious for that same issue? The Toronto Raptors, of course.
I liked this game because it showed how similar these teams are: both need (and will lean heavily on) Robinson- or Green-type players to step up and help them win. For the Raptors, that could mean guys like Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamison Battle, or maybe even Jamal Shead or Alijah Martin if things get spicy.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are a very talented young duo, don’t get me wrong. Detroit also has the edge over Toronto after finishing as the Eastern Conference’s top regular-season team last year and emerging as a promising playoff threat — whereas the Raptors just got back there last season.
I still have questions about how high either team can climb with its current roster. But that’s where I think Toronto may have an edge in its push toward the top of the East and, hopefully, a deeper run: the Raptors have Kawhi Leonard. Scottie Barnes remains the franchise cornerstone, but Leonard brings something Detroit’s core doesn’t yet have — a battle-tested, championship-proven leader who knows what it takes to reach the pinnacle.
Pistons mirror the Raptors' framework, but Kawhi could push Toronto over the hump
Sure, we still don’t know how many games Kawhi will play this season or whether he can look like last year’s Second-Team All-NBA version of himself now that he’s back in Toronto. Still, the point stands: he’s part of this squad, and fans and media alike have viewed him as the kind of star who can raise its ceiling above that of its contemporaries — even if the rest of this roster has some pretty concerning flaws.
Detroit’s season-opening win raised its stock and put critical watchers like me on notice: the Pistons can’t be underestimated. They’re still one of the league’s most physical, hard-nosed teams, and their defense can’t be overlooked. Still, I’d lean toward Toronto because of Leonard’s experience. That’s not to say Cunningham or Duren can’t potentially become that kind of leader in the future, but Detroit may need a similar player-caliber alongside them to turn its goals into reality.
Maybe it sounds a bit foolish to draw this conclusion before the Raptors have even played their first game of the 2026–27 season, but it’s been lingering in my mind for a while now — and it feels especially timely after watching Detroit and Boston do battle. I can’t wait to see how these two teams’ journeys play out over the 82-game stretch and beyond. I’m sure I’ll come back to this angle either eating my words or feeling vindicated by my early expectations.
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