Paul George just dropped a historic 38 points in his Boston Celtics debut, setting a franchise record for points in a first game. But get this: it wasn’t enough. The Detroit Pistons, sparked by Javonte Green, battled back from a crazy early deficit to snag a 121-113 home win and open the 2026-27 NBA season by wrecking the Celtics’ party. Talk about a gut punch for Boston.
PG’s Explosive Start Couldn’t Hold Back the Tide
George kicked off his Celtics career by draining a shot from behind the arc, a bucket that actually tied him for the eighth-most three-pointers in NBA history. Think about that for a second! Mitchell Robinson, another new Celtic, also got his first points in the second quarter, even after an early ankle scare. For a minute there, it felt like the Celtics were unstoppable. Cade Cunningham did his best to keep the Pistons in it, matching Boston until midway through the second quarter. But then George and Jayson Tatum absolutely went off, leading a 19-4 run that stretched the Celtics’ lead to 13 points by halftime. They combined for 28 points on 10-for-22 shooting in those first two quarters. George even broke the single-game debut points record in the third quarter, helping the Celtics blast ahead by as many as 22 points. You’d think that would be enough, right?
Detroit’s Fourth Quarter Avalanche Leaves Celtics Reeling
This is where it gets wild. George’s scoring just… slowed down. It happened midway through the third, and that’s when Detroit started chipping away. They went on a ridiculous 23-0 run in the fourth quarter. Yeah, you read that right. TWENTY-THREE to ZERO. The Pistons didn’t just chip away, they took a double-digit lead late in the game. George and Derrick White tried to pull off a miracle, combining for a seven-point run that brought the Celtics within four points in the final minute. But it was too little, too late. Detroit closed it out. Jalen Duren was a monster with 22 points and 9 boards. Duncan Robinson hit for 21 points, and Javonte Green dropped 19. Cunningham chipped in 20 points and 8 assists, while Ausar Thompson impressed with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and some serious defense. For the Celtics, White had 17 points and Tatum ended with 13 points and 11 assists, but nobody could match George’s output or stem that Detroit tide.
What a way to start the season. The Celtics will get another shot to finally grab their first win when George makes his home debut against the defending champion New York Knicks. Meanwhile, the Pistons will try to build on this momentum, facing the Miami Heat on the same day. Let’s see if Detroit can keep that energy going!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply