Opening night rarely tells you who wins the title. It does tell you which teams have a pulse, and this year’s first night had plenty of those moments. Here are five things that stood out, plus where to find NBA scores and what’s on tonight.
1. The Pistons don’t quit
The first game of the NBA regular season was an afternoon tip, and it turned into the story of the day. Detroit came back from 22 points down on a 23-0 fourth-quarter run to beat Boston 121-113. According to the NBA, that’s the biggest comeback on the first day of a season since 1997-98.
The turnaround was about energy as much as shooting. Duncan Robinson scored 21 points and Javonte Green added 19 in the second half, and Detroit outrebounded Boston 59 to 45. One NBC analyst put it simply, saying this Pistons team has a ton of fight in it. One game isn’t a season, but a team that fights back from 22 down in October usually has something going on.
2. Paul George’s Celtics debut was great, and it didn’t matter
The Celtics lost, but not because of their new forward. George hit seven threes and scored 38 points, a Celtics record for points in a team debut. That’s a rough way to lose for Boston, since the night will be remembered for the collapse instead.
It’s also a good reminder that this Celtics team is new. Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, so there’s a lot of adjusting to do. A hot debut is a good sign, but it’s too early to tell whether it’s a trend.
3. The new-look 76ers spoiled the party
This was the game most people circled. The Knicks had a big night planned. They raised their championship banner, celebrating their first title in 53 years. Then the visitors ruined it. The 76ers beat New York 106-100 with a lineup of Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
The box score shows how balanced it was. Maxey scored 28, Brown 19, James had 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, and Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Brunson led New York with 21. A new group looking this comfortable on night one is a good sign for Philadelphia, but it’s still just one game against a team that had a banner ceremony on its mind.
4. Oklahoma City looks like itself
The nightcap was a Western Conference Finals rematch, and the Thunder handled it. They beat San Antonio 116-104 behind 32 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City also slowed Victor Wembanyama and got a lift from Jared McCain.
It was a reality check for a hyped Spurs team. One writer said the Spurs won’t get away with a performance like that the way they did last year, when they were playing with house money. That feels fair. Expectations are higher now, so ordinary games will look worse.
5. Opening night is fun, but it’s a small sample
All three results had a good story behind them. That’s why it’s tempting to overreact. One CBS piece on opening night even did this on purpose, with a list of overreactions like Paul George is going to be an All-Star. It was clearly written with a wink. The point is that after one game, almost every conclusion is a guess.
My own rule is simple. I pay attention to how a team wins or loses, like rebounding, effort and ball movement, instead of the final margin. The Pistons’ rebounding edge, for example, tells me more than the comeback itself.
NBA games tonight
The season now moves into a full slate. Here’s what’s on, with tip times in US Eastern time:
- Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic, 7:00 p.m.
- Milwaukee Bucks at Washington Wizards, 7:00 p.m.
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m.
- Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
- Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m.
- Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 p.m.
- Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans, 8:00 p.m.
- Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets, 8:30 p.m.
- Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:00 p.m.
- Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers, 10:00 p.m.
- Sacramento Kings at LA Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
If you want ESPN NBA coverage, ESPN’s season coverage starts with Minnesota at Miami, followed by Golden State at the Lakers. The rest are mostly on local TV or League Pass
How to keep up without getting overwhelmed
An 82-game season is a long one, so a simple routine helps:
- Check scores in an app, not an article. The NBA app or ESPN will always be faster than any written page.
- Read one recap, not five. The league’s own site and ESPN usually cover the key points.
- Wait for a bigger sample. Give it 10 to 15 games before deciding what a team is.
- Mark a few dates. NBA Cup group play begins October 30, and the regular season ends April 11, 2027.
