Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons Picks and Prediction for Tuesday October 20 2026
The 2026-2027 NBA regular season will get underway with a battle between the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons from Little Caesars Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday October 20, 2026 at 3:00 pm EST and will be televised on NBC and Peacock. The Pistons are a short 1.5 point favorite and the total is sitting at 221.5. Be ready for all of this season's NBA action with our free NBA picks.
Boston new look lineup without Jaylen Brown
The Boston Celtics played most of last season without F Jayson Tatum and still managed to finish in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics (56-26) were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Philadelphia and traded All-Star G Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for declining F Paul George. Boston bulked up their front-court by signing former New York C Mitchell Robinson.
Boston loves to spread the court on offense and is a heavy volume three-point shooting team. The Celtics tied with New York for second in the NBA with a 116.8 offensive rating. Boston ranked third in the league in rebounding rate and were fifth in net possessions. The Celtics ranked fourth in defensive efficiency and will miss Brown’s presence the most on that end of the floor.
Boston Projected starting lineup
- G Derrick White
- G Payton Pritchard
- F Paul George
- F Jayson Tatum
- C Neemias Queta
Detroit ready to make a deep postseason run
The Detroit Pistons won 31 of 40 home games a season ago and finished four games ahead of Boston for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons (60-22) won a playoff series for the first time since 2008, but lost Game Seven of the conference semifinals versus Cleveland on their home floor. Detroit lost veteran F Tobias Harris to San Antonio and are counting on John Collins (3 years, $51 million) to replace him.
Detroit has established a defensive identity for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Leading scorer Cade Cunningham has the size to provide switchability on the perimeter and Ausar Thompson is a stopper. The Pistons finished second in the league in defensive efficiency behind Oklahoma City. Isaiah Joe was brought in to provide shooting and boost Detroit’s 11th ranked offensive profile.
Detroit Projected starting lineup
- G Cade Cunningham
- G Duncan Robinson
- F Ausar Thompson
- F John Collins
- C Jalen Duren
Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons Picks and Prediction
Pick: Boston Celtics +1.5
Both teams come into the season opener with clean injury reports. Boston made the decision to build their roster with complimentary pieces around Jayson Tatum’s skill set. Paul George is an obvious downgrade from Jaylen Brown, but his shooting will be lethal in this offense. The Pistons were dominant at home a season ago, but the Celtics are the better team. Take Boston to win on the road.
Pick: Over 222
Boston played at the slowest tempo in the league last season, but that should be different with a healthy Tatum back in the lineup. Payton Pritchard signed a two-year, 44.2 million dollar extension in the offense and is a proven reliable scorer. Detroit added more shooting to their offense and that will be on display in the season opener. Take the over.
Final Score Prediction: Boston Celtics 118-109