Oct 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Celtics forward-guard Jayson Tatum (0) shoots defended by Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
DETROIT — Jayson Tatum knew the implication when he received a question about what felt different on opening night.
“That’s a pretty broad question,” Tatum said. “Everybody’s probably expected to do a little bit more in bigger roles. Our depth, a lot of guys are gonna play on a given night, so everybody has to be ready.”
Tuesday’s loss to Detroit showed the potential highs of the offseason changes — Paul George’s 38 points affirming his preseason belief that renewed health would allow him to regain his former capabilities. And the lows — the Pistons showing comfort both leaving Ausar Thompson on an island against the Celtics’ star and showing his extra defenders when he found the ball. Joe Mazzulla liked Tatum’s unselfish approach and Boston deliberately tried to utilize him off the ball to free himself and others. It led to him getting lost in the offense later.
Boston intended to utilize a depth attack, limit turnovers, control the possession game and crash the offensive glass to succeed this season. A formula similar to last year with Tatum at the point of attack instead of Jaylen Brown, but despite taking more shots, threes and committing fewer turnovers than the Pistons, Detroit rode rebounding, free throws and transition run-outs to a 21-point second half win. In the fourth quarter, Tatum scored two of Boston’s 25 points and only created one assist. Going back to the preseason, he’s only generated three free throw attempts, a concerning number that places a great onus on his jump shots falling.
“That’s just how we play,” Tatum said. “Playing fast and just trying to be unpredictable, it’s what got us the lead and things like that. Just gotta be a little more assertive in those moments, just to be in the mix, not necessarily scoring.”
Tatum also affirmed that scoring constitutes only part of his role, which Mazzulla echoed in his comments after the game while stressing that Tatum should take every open shot, even if he’s 0-for-10. That make the right play approach worked to begin the game and flowed into the third quarter as George proved a perfect complement to Tatum in the space he operated away from him. Payton Pritchard, called upon for more shot creation this year, scored on his first three touches nearly 10 minutes into the first quarter. Derrick White also scored efficiently and finished with eight assists in the loss.
But Boston started Jordan Walsh and Mitchell Robinson, who couldn’t create much offensive leverage in their minutes. They managed George’s minutes even while letting him cook into the second half, Detroit’s turnaround from down by 22 points begin almost immediately when he left the floor. Robinson fell with an ankle injury in the second quarter, and the Celtics never effectively drew much offense from him or the other centers even when they fed them. At the wing, Sam Hauser emerged again as their best offensive threat behind Tatum and George. But as Boston leaned into jump-shooting and Tatum avoided the paint late, the offense flattened.
“Give Detroit credit, they’re a great defensive team in general,” Mazzulla said. “Second thing, I don’t know that they necessarily limited him. I thought he got some really good looks. He got the ball where he wanted it, catch-and-shoot above the break, two feet in the paint, missed four or five layups, so they’re a great defensive team, their defense got them back in the game. Him in particular, I thought he got a lot of the looks that he wanted and found the space and the decisions he wanted, we just didn’t execute on those. But yeah, just continuing to use him in different roles, off-ball, pick-and-roll, isolation. He has the ability to play in different ways.”
Plenty of positives emerged from the game, particularly before halftime where the Celtics crushed the Pistons’ offense by playing off their non-shooters like Thompson. Pritchard, perhaps iced out by rotations at times, dominated many of his touches and reached the free throw line eight times. Baylor Scheierman closed the third quarter with a buzzer-beating three and grabbed a pick-six early in the fourth. The Celtics have time to adjust their rotations and opening night in many way resembled an extension of the preseason, trying to fit in 11 rotation players and experimenting with Tatum off-ball, a brief Robinson and Neemias Queta stint and Walsh’s starting role.
Mazzulla expects to see many starting groups like last year, and more rotations throughout the course of the game that can create offensive leverage will help. There’ll be nights without George, however, and ones where Pritchard, White, or both don’t have it. And with Brown making his 76ers debut at Madison Square Garden shortly after the Celtics’ collapse finished, both games served as a reminder of how much rests on Tatum’s shoulders going forward.
“He had 11 assists,” Mazzulla said. “I just want him to continue to make the right play.”
“You just gotta execute a little more.”