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Celtics Vs Pistons Live Updates: Nba Season Opens With Weekday Matinee

The 2026-27 NBA regular season is about to tip off, and the league's opening day has never arrived earlier, beginning with a rare matinee between two Eastern Conference contenders.

The Detroit Pistons are set to host the Boston Celtics as the NBA unveils a weekday afternoon opener for the first official game of the season. The initiative, spearheaded by NBC as part of the second year of its media-rights partnership with the league, is designed to turn opening day into an all-day event. The matchup also tips off during primetime hours across much of Europe.

An international audience will see a Pistons team led by star Cade Cunningham and coming off its first 60-win season in two decades face the Celtics, who will be playing their first game since the offseason trade of Jaylen Brown left Jayson Tatum as the team's undisputed franchise centerpiece.

It's a compelling matchup of two teams with Eastern Conference title aspirations, and USA TODAY Sports will be chronicling all of the opening-day festivities to start a new NBA season. Follow along here for live game updates and analysis, highlights and reaction from Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit.

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What time is Celtics vs. Pistons today?

02:20 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto

The opening game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, Oct. 20 is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celtics vs Pistons live updates: NBA season opens with weekday matinee

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Celtics Vs Pistons Live Updates: Nba Season Opens With Weekday Matinee

What time is Celtics vs. Pistons today?

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