Jayson Tatum took the floor for the Boston Celtics this weekend, and everything felt different. For the first time in his pro career, his longtime co-star Jaylen Brown wasn’t there. Instead, it was 36-year-old Paul George, and the new look was a vibe as Boston absolutely trashed the Philadelphia 76ers 144-106 in a preseason win at TD Garden. Tatum, the 28-year-old superstar, couldn’t help but call it “surreal” to play alongside a future Hall of Famer he grew up watching.
PG-13: From Childhood Idol to Court Teammate
This isn’t just a new teammate, it’s a full-circle moment for Tatum. He was practically gushing, telling reporters that it was “kind of surreal, a little bit.” Think about it: Tatum spent his high school days at Chaminade College Preparatory School molding his game after George, watching his film, even being the first college player to rock PG-1s back in 2016 or early 2017. When Tatum declared for the 2017 NBA Draft out of Duke, George’s name was constantly thrown around as a suitable comparison. Now, his idol is his teammate. Tatum is clearly stoked to have George along for the ride, looking forward to learning from him and having PG-13 take on a mentor role for him and the other guys who’ve been watching him for ages.
George’s Debut and Coach Mazzulla’s Vision
It wasn’t a fireworks show right out of the gate for Paul George. He missed his first four shots, a bit of an early wobble, before finally knocking down an open top-of-the-key 3-pointer late in the second quarter. That bucket pushed Boston’s lead to 18 points and forced a Philly timeout. You could practically see the sigh of relief as he crouched, looking at the parquet after getting on the board. He finished the game with 13 points on 3-of-10 shooting in 24 minutes, which isn’t exactly blowing the doors off the place. But don’t let those numbers fool you. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is already seeing the bigger picture, telling reporters that George has “great instincts, great technique, great positioning.” That’s the kind of praise that tells you he’s going to be a key piece.
This new duo with Tatum and George has a different feel, but it’s shaping up to be a smooth one. With the preseason just kicking off, it’s clear the Celtics are excited about the chemistry brewing, and what it could mean for the season ahead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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