NBA53 min ago2 minute read

Paul George Scores 38 in Boston Debut but Pistons Rally to Beat Celtics 121-113

Paul George scored 38 points in his Celtics debut, but the Detroit Pistons mounted a late comeback to win 121-113 on opening day.

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Record Debut Falls Short

Paul George made history in his first game with Boston, but it was not enough to secure an opening day victory. The nine time All Star scored 38 points in his Celtics debut on Tuesday, setting a franchise record for the most points scored by a player in his first game with the team. Boston acquired George from Philadelphia in exchange for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Now playing in his 17th season, George showed right away that he remains a dominant scorer.

Boston took control during the third quarter and built its largest lead of the game at 72-50 after George hit three consecutive 3 pointers in less than a minute. Despite the massive 22 point cushion, the Celtics could not hold off a late surge from Detroit.

Detroit Rallies in Fourth Quarter

Detroit cut the deficit down to six points by the end of the third quarter before completing the comeback in the fourth. Javonte Green provided a massive spark off the bench. After sitting out the entire first half, Green scored 19 points in the second half. Green made a go ahead 3 pointer, followed by a three point play from Jalen Duren and another 3 pointer from Duncan Robinson, putting Detroit up 107-99 with 5:10 remaining.

Cade Cunningham helped seal the victory, finishing with 22 points and eight assists. Duren matched him with 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Robinson scored 21 points while making five of his nine 3 point attempts, and Ausar Thompson recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds in the 121-113 win.

Tatum Struggles from the Field

While George delivered a strong performance, Jayson Tatum struggled to find his rhythm. The six time All Star missed 17 of his 23 field goal attempts, finishing with 13 points and 11 assists. Tatum is working his way back in his first full season since tearing his right Achilles tendon in May 2025. His defensive lapse in the closing minutes gave Green enough time to hit his fifth 3 pointer, extending Detroit's lead to 13 points with 3:33 left.

Derrick White and Payton Pritchard each contributed 17 points for Boston, but the team could not overcome Detroit's late execution.

What it means for the next game

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (NBA, Fri, 23 Oct): Boston Celtics win 52%, New York Knicks win 48%; projected score Boston Celtics 112, New York Knicks 109. Our safest pick: Celtics +5.5.

Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat (NBA, Sat, 24 Oct): Miami Heat win 44%, Detroit Pistons win 56%; projected score Miami Heat 117, Detroit Pistons 119. Our safest pick: Pistons +6.5.