Celtics Name Tatum and George Starters for Pistons Opener

Boston enters the 2026-27 NBA regular season with an undefeated preseason behind it and a reworked lineup set to face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, October 20, at 3 p.m. ET in Detroit. Head coach Joe Mazzulla will start Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson as the Celtics begin a campaign shaped by roster changes and Tatum's return from Achilles surgery.

According to CelticsBlog, Boston finished its four exhibition games with a 4-0 record and ranked first in net rating, defensive rating and rebounding percentage. The team also demonstrated its depth by beating the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime in the preseason finale while using a starting group featuring several players outside its expected regular-season rotation.

Mazzulla has emphasized flexibility rather than committing to a permanent starting five. His approach reflects the need to adjust personnel to different opponents and game situations throughout an 82-game schedule.

Before the opener, Mazzulla said the attention given to starting lineups often exceeds their importance during a game.

"In all honesty, I think people care about it too much — it lasts five minutes," Mazzulla said. "There's still 43 minutes left in the game. end-of-quarter lineups are important, start-to-quarter lineups are important, end-of-game lineups are important. So I think it just gets overblown."

The coach has also highlighted the importance of developing several combinations instead of relying on one group throughout the season. Payton Pritchard, last season's Sixth Man of the Year, likewise expressed little concern about coming off the bench.

"To me, a starter is the amount of minutes you play," Pritchard said. "Do you finish games? Are you playing 30-plus minutes? Then you are a starter."

Pritchard's role could be especially important as Boston reshapes its offense following Jaylen Brown's departure. His preseason performance included 11 assists against Charlotte, an indication of his potential contribution as a playmaker, according to the Boston coverage published by Yahoo Sports.

Tatum's preseason form provides another encouraging development for Boston. Across two appearances, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field and 38.9% from three-point range. He played 27 minutes against Philadelphia and 29 against Charlotte, although questions remain about how the Celtics will manage his workload during a demanding opening stretch.

Derrick White credited Tatum's progress to increased confidence following his recovery.

"I just think that he's more confident. I thought he looked pretty good last year and so just getting that confidence, getting over the mental hurdle that everybody says is the toughest part about it," White said.

Boston also received encouraging signs from George, whose defensive activity produced seven steals across two preseason appearances despite shooting 25.0% from the field and 21.4% from three-point range. George and Robinson ranked in the 89th and 95th percentiles, respectively, in positional steal rate last season, according to the Boston Herald's preseason analysis.

Mazzulla praised the defensive impact of the newcomers as Boston tested a more aggressive approach.

"Defensively, they take things to another level," Mazzulla said.

The Celtics forced 53 turnovers across their two preseason games featuring the regular starting group. That represents a notable contrast with last season, when Boston ranked 28th in steals at 7.1 per game and 29th in opponent turnovers at 12.4 per game.

Second-year wing Hugo Gonzalez also strengthened his case for a larger role by converting 11 of 20 three-point attempts, a 55% rate, over four preseason games. He scored at least 15 points in three contests, including a team-high 21 points in 20 minutes against Philadelphia.

Gonzalez has emphasized defense as his primary responsibility, but his improved shooting could make him a more useful option among Boston's wing players. Meanwhile, Devin Carter, a 2024 lottery pick, was absent from the final preseason games after becoming ill, but the Celtics converted his Exhibit 10 tryout deal into a two-way contract, according to the Boston Herald.

The opening schedule presents an immediate test. After facing Detroit, Boston begins a three-game stretch over four nights and will play 12 of its 16 November games on the road, according to Sports Illustrated's preseason report.