Pistons vs Celtics Preview: NBA Records, Form and Head-to-Head
Pistons vs Celtics (DET vs BOS) is a 2026-27 NBA regular-season game, tipping off Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 8:00 PM. This preview covers both teams’ records so far this season, their home/road splits and head-to-head results from 2025-26, and what to watch in this game. All data is current as of 2026-10-28 and comes from official box scores via balldontlie.
Records so far this season: Pistons 3-1 (4 games); Celtics 3-1 (4 games). The sample is still small, so the figures below are mainly from the 2025-26 regular season and serve as background only.
目錄
Pistons vs Celtics game information
| Tip-off (ET) | Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 8:00 PM |
| Competition | 2026-27 NBA regular season |
| Away | Detroit Pistons (DET) |
| Home | Boston Celtics (BOS) |
Pistons vs Celtics: this season’s meetings
The teams have met 1 time in 2026-27: the Pistons have won 1 and the Celtics 0.
| Date | Matchup (away @ home) | Score (away-home) | Winner | Top scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/20 | Celtics @ Pistons | 113-121 | Pistons | Paul George 38; Cade Cunningham 22 |
Remaining meetings this season: 3/5 Celtics @ Pistons.
Pistons vs Celtics: season stats compared
Records and scoring come from balldontlie; shooting, rebounding and other box-score details come from ESPN (compiled by SportsDataverse/hoopR). Shooting percentages are total makes divided by total attempts.
| Pistons | Celtics | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| Points per game | 113.0 | 119.8 |
| Opp. points per game | 107.0 | 111.8 |
| Field-goal % | 47.3% | 47.0% |
| 3-point % | 42.0% | 42.4% |
| 3-pointers made per game | 15.7 | 17.7 |
| Rebounds per game | 52.0 | 43.3 |
| Assists per game | 28.7 | 26.3 |
| Turnovers per game | 18.0 | 16.7 |
| Box-score sample | 3 games | 3 games |
Box-score details currently run through 10/25 (Pistons: 4 games played, 3 with details); the latest games are pending.
Box-score details currently run through 10/26 (Celtics: 4 games played, 3 with details); the latest games are pending.
Pistons and Celtics: leading scorers lately
The Pistons’ top five scorers over their last 3 games (games played only):
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cade Cunningham | 3 | 21.3 | 4.7 | 8.0 |
| Duncan Robinson | 3 | 19.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
| John Collins | 3 | 15.0 | 7.7 | 0.7 |
| Jalen Duren | 2 | 13.0 | 7.5 | 2.0 |
| Daniss Jenkins | 3 | 12.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 |
The Celtics’ top five scorers over their last 3 games (games played only):
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | 3 | 24.0 | 6.7 | 8.0 |
| Paul George | 3 | 23.0 | 5.7 | 2.3 |
| Payton Pritchard | 3 | 16.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Derrick White | 3 | 11.3 | 3.7 | 6.0 |
| Sam Hauser | 3 | 9.3 | 3.3 | 1.3 |
Detroit Pistons: 2025-26 regular season in review
The Pistons played 82 games in the 2025-26 regular season and finished 60-22, scoring 117.8 points per game and allowing 109.6, for a net of 8.2. Combined scoring in their games averaged 227.4 points, which is the starting point for any totals read.
| 2025-26 regular season | Games | Record | PPG | Opp PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full season | 82 | 60-22 | 117.8 | 109.6 |
| Home | 41 | 32-9 | 118.7 | 108.2 |
| Road | 41 | 28-13 | 116.8 | 111.0 |
| Final 10 games | 10 | 8-2 | 119.9 | 108.1 |
They recorded 32-9 at home and 28-13 on the road, averaging 1.9 more points per game at home. Pistons is the visiting team in this matchup. They reached the playoffs and finished 7-7 across 14 games, averaging 104.9 points and allowing 103.3. The sample is limited and the figures are listed here as fact.
Boston Celtics: 2025-26 regular season in review
The Celtics played 82 games in the 2025-26 regular season and finished 56-26, scoring 114.9 points per game and allowing 107.2, for a net of 7.7. Combined scoring in their games averaged 222.0 points, which is the starting point for any totals read.
| 2025-26 regular season | Games | Record | PPG | Opp PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full season | 82 | 56-26 | 114.9 | 107.2 |
| Home | 41 | 30-11 | 114.8 | 107.0 |
| Road | 41 | 26-15 | 114.9 | 107.3 |
| Final 10 games | 10 | 8-2 | 119.6 | 108.4 |
They recorded 30-11 at home and 26-15 on the road, averaging 0.1 fewer points per game at home. Celtics is the home team in this matchup. They reached the playoffs and finished 3-4 across 7 games, averaging 106.6 points and allowing 103.7. The sample is limited and the figures are listed here as fact.
Pistons vs Celtics head-to-head last season
The two teams met 4 times in the 2025-26 regular season: Pistons won 3 and Celtics won 1.
| Date | Home | Away | Score (home-away) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-19 | Pistons | Celtics | 104-103 | Pistons |
| 2025-12-15 | Celtics | Pistons | 105-112 | Pistons |
| 2025-11-26 | Celtics | Pistons | 117-114 | Celtics |
| 2025-10-26 | Pistons | Celtics | 119-113 | Pistons |
4 games are a limited sample, and both rosters changed in the offseason. This record reflects last season’s matchup results and does not establish that the same pattern will continue this season.
What to watch in this game
- Tempo gap: combined scoring averaged 227.4 points in Pistons games and 222.0 in Celtics games last season, a gap of 5.4. Which way this one trends is the first readable signal.
- Fourth quarters: last season Pistons averaged 28.0 points and allowed 26.2 in the fourth; Celtics averaged 26.9 and allowed 25.9.
- Early-season sample: records this early are a small sample. A game or two can swing on scheduling, injuries and rotation changes, so judge each team alongside last season’s numbers and the games still to come.
- Injuries and starters: this preview does not speculate on player availability or projected lineups. Consult the official NBA injury report before tip-off.
Want the Mysports.AI prediction for this game?
This article presents public data only and does not include Mysports.AI model predictions. Mysports.AI provides daily AI predictions for NBA moneyline, point spread and totals markets. To review the AI analysis of this matchup, contact our support team on Telegram to request free access.
🏀 Message us on Telegram for free NBA AI predictions
Free access covers that day’s complimentary game only, which may not include this matchup.
Open TelegramFor how to read and use AI predictions, see NBA AI picks explained. For how the model itself works, see the NBA AI model.
Previews for other games around the same date:
Frequently asked questions
What time do the Pistons and Celtics tip off?
Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.
Is this a regular-season or preseason game?
This is a 2026-27 NBA regular-season game, and the result counts toward both teams’ regular-season records.
How did these two teams fare against each other last season?
They met 4 times in the 2025-26 regular season: Pistons won 3, Celtics won 1. Scores: 104-103, 105-112, 117-114, 119-113. That is a 4-game sample and both rosters changed over the summer, so treat it as background only.
Can last season’s numbers predict this game?
Only to a limited extent. Last season’s numbers reflect last season’s rosters. After summer trades, signings and draft picks, both teams need to be reassessed as this season’s games come in.
How do I get the Mysports.AI prediction?
Model predictions are not published in these articles. Message Mysports.AI support on Telegram to request free access, which covers that day’s complimentary game and may not include a specific matchup.
Data current as of 2026-10-28. Scores and schedule from balldontlie; team box scores and player stats from ESPN, compiled by SportsDataverse/hoopR. Advanced metrics, injury reports and starting lineups are not included. This article is a data summary and does not constitute betting advice. You must be of legal gambling age in your jurisdiction.