What happened: The 2026-27 NBA regular season tips off with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons and the Philadelphia 76ers facing the New York Knicks. Paul George joins Jayson Tatum in the Celtics lineup against Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, while LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make their Philadelphia debuts against Jalen Brunson.

Why it matters: The opening-slate matchups pit reworked Eastern Conference rosters against the defending champion Knicks and last season's top-seeded Pistons. Detroit enters the campaign after signing Duren to a contract extension on Oct. 2.

What to watch: Boston visits Detroit and Philadelphia takes on New York when the 2026-27 season tips off in three days.