Scheduled
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
2026-27 · Regular season
Watch: “Welcome back,” the Pistons’ gameday alarm clock, the Sixers’ hype video and more as the NBA season tips off
Seven official videos for opening day: the league's "Welcome back" montage, the Pistons' gameday schedule, Celtics: Way of Life, the Sixers' hype video, the Thunder's road trip, Wizards practice and a full preview show.
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The 2026-27 NBA season starts today. The Pistons host the Celtics at 22:00 Cairo time, the 76ers visit the Knicks on banner night at 02:00, and the Thunder close it out in San Antonio at 04:30. The official accounts have spent the morning building up to it with season-opening videos, hype reels, travel clips and one last practice. Here are seven worth your time before tip-off, each with a quick note on what you are watching.
“Welcome back”: the league’s season-opening minute
The league’s opening-day spot is a fast, one-minute montage built around two words, “Welcome back.” It cuts through Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards and plenty more, from practice gyms to arena tunnels. It doubles as a reminder of tonight’s order: Celtics at Pistons, then 76ers at Knicks, then Thunder at Spurs. Video: @NBA on X.
The Pistons’ gameday alarm clock
Detroit’s 10-second wake-up call is a phone screen full of alarms that maps out the whole day at Little Caesars Arena: the team store opens at 10 a.m., blue carpet arrivals at 11, a petting zoo at noon, doors at 1:30 p.m., fans in their seats by 2:55 and tip-off at 3 p.m. local time (22:00 Cairo). The Pistons are coming off a 60-win season as the East’s top seed, and they get the first game of the new year. Video: @DetroitPistons on X.
Celtics: Way of Life, Episode 1
Boston’s new series opens with a five-minute episode called “Connection,” moving between training camp huddles, team meetings and quiet moments with the group. It starts with a line about where the Celtics tradition comes from: building the team “like a family.” Tonight is the first regular-season look at Jayson Tatum and Paul George as teammates, so the chemistry theme fits. Video: @celtics on X.
The Sixers: “the time has come”
Philadelphia’s minute-long season hype video is moody and mostly in shadow, mixing close-up portraits with game footage before landing on the 76ers logo. The Sixers walk into Madison Square Garden tonight (02:00 Cairo) on the night the Knicks celebrate their championship, which is about as loud a start as any team will get. Video: @sixers on X.
Thunder fist bumps on the way to San Antonio
A simple, fun one: the camera waits on the tarmac and trades fist bumps with Thunder players one by one as they walk out for the first road trip of the season. Oklahoma City, led by back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, closes opening night in San Antonio at 04:30 Cairo. Video: @okcthunder on X.
Wizards practice: “It all starts tomorrow”
Washington’s 30-second practice cut shows layup lines, contested finishes and coaches watching from the sideline as the Wizards get ready for their opener on Wednesday. It is a good sign of how the rest of the league spends today: one more practice while everyone else watches the first three games. Video: @WashWizards on X.
The long watch: a full opening-day preview show
If you have time before the first tip, this is the full episode of The Association. Lauren Rosen, Sean Little and Evan Turner preview the start of the season, Hall of Famer David Robinson and the Cavaliers’ Jaylon Tyson join for two conversations, and the crew marks NBA Jersey Day. It runs about an hour and a half. Video: NBA TV on YouTube.
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