Jayson Tatum didn’t sugarcoat his night after the Boston Celtics’ opening-night loss to the Detroit Pistons. He knew he was off, and he knew the offense needed more from him. Boston had a 13-point lead at halftime, but the second half flipped the script, and Tatum’s line - 13 points, four rebounds, 11 assists and two turnovers on 26.1% shooting - told the story of a star who never got into a real rhythm.
“It felt good. Definitely not one of my best nights.
I just have to play better. You know, part of my role is scoring,” Tatum said.
“I felt really good about a lot of the looks, but I’ll be watching film and probably slowing down in some of those moments. It’s more about making the play, maybe for myself, but for my teammates.”
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff had a much simpler explanation for why Tatum kept running into trouble. In his view, Ausar Thompson was the difference, hounding Tatum possession after possession and making every touch uncomfortable.
“Ausar Thompson. That simple,” said Bickerstaff. “You get him in 1-on-1 situations, you gonna be in for a long night no matter who you are.”
While Tatum struggled, Paul George was the one Celtic who looked completely at home. Boston brought him in this summer in a major roster shakeup, replacing longtime swingman and former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, a move that drew plenty of criticism. But in his first real test, George played like a much younger version of himself, pouring in 38 points with five rebounds, three assists and five steals while shooting 57.1% from the field.
After the game, Tatum made sure to recognize what George gave the Celtics.
“He was unbelievable,” said Tatum. “The confidence he played with, and making plays on defense. But just kind of getting to his spots, his ability to defend and get out and run and space the floor, and attack certain matchups when he can.”
Even with George’s debut, this was not the kind of start Boston wanted after such a dramatic offseason overhaul. There is still time for the Celtics to settle in, but there are obvious issues to sort through. The team also needs more at center, where Mitchell Robinson posted just four points and three rebounds in 18 minutes, and the second unit looked thinner than expected.
As for Tatum, the rough shooting night doesn’t appear to have shaken his belief in what he can still do. He said he felt fine physically, and the bigger issue was making the right read and slowing the game down. After an ugly opener, he made it clear he expects better from himself going forward.
In Other News...
Pistons Opener Hinted At A Change Fans Have Wanted For Years
The Pistons entered the 2026 offseason determined to modernize an offense that too often settled for too few threes, and their regular-season opener against the Celtics offered the clearest sign yet that the message may have landed. Detroit launched 40 three-pointers in a 121-113 win, a sharp jump from last seasons 30.8 per game, and the shot profile alone looked different enough to catch the eye even before the comeback from a 22-point hole.
Duncan Robinson, Javonte Green, Isaiah Joe and Kevin Huerter all factored into the spread-the-floor approach, giving Detroit the kind of perimeter volume fans have wanted to see for years. One game does not make a season, of course, but after spending the offseason talking about the need to improve from deep, the Pistons at least gave themselves a template worth watching closely as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
John Collins Already Has The Pistons Facing A Tough Defensive Question
John Collins first night in a Pistons uniform offered an early glimpse of both the upside and the problems Detroit will have to sort through. He gave the team some useful minutes with a block and a few offensive rebounds, the kind of activity that can matter in a game where every possession counts. But the bigger takeaway came on the other end, where Collins had a rough time holding up defensively in his new setting.
Detroit tried to work around it by shifting Collins to center, hoping the matchup would settle in, but the adjustment did not really solve the issue. Paul George found room to score against him, and the problem only looked more complicated when bigger opponents came into play, including Mitchell Robinson. For a Pistons group trying to piece together lineups early, Collins fit may end up being defined less by what he can add and more by how they hide what he gives up. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Just Turned Bostons Big Debut Into A Celtics Problem
Bostons season opener quickly turned into a reminder that early NBA games can still say plenty about where a team is headed. The Celtics built a 22-point lead against Detroit, only to let it slip away in a loss that had Jayson Tatum finishing with 13 points on rough shooting while Paul George carried the offensive load with 38 points and also made his presence felt on the defensive end.
Social media did what it always does after a collapse like that, with fans split between frustration at the coaching and player execution and calls to remember how long the season is. From Detroits perspective, it was the kind of result that can travel well beyond one night, because handing Boston an opener like that immediately changes the tone around the Celtics and gives the Pistons an early jolt of attention. [Read more 🡒]