Paul George delivered an [excellent performance](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/10/20/despite-paul-georges-dazzling-debut-celtics-collapse-in-season-opening-loss-to-pistons/) Tuesday in his Celtics debut.
Mitchell Robinson? Not so much.
The Celtics’ [new starting center struggled](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/10/21/what-we-saw-from-every-celtics-player-in-season-opening-loss-to-pistons/) in the team’s season-opening 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons. He recorded more turnovers (two) than offensive rebounds (one), and Boston was outscored by eight points over his 18 minutes.
“I played like a–,” Robinson said before Thursday’s practice at the Auerbach Center. “It’s kind of just straightforward. And I can’t have that.”
Robinson’s first game as a Celtic was rough from the start. He was called for an offensive foul 12 seconds after tipoff, then lost the ball out of bounds on the ensuing Boston possession. One play later, a Derrick White pass to Robinson resulted in yet another giveaway.
“I’ve got to start off better,” Robinson said. “I don’t know what could have possibly (caused) that. But obviously, it’s my fault, and I’ve got to accept that. Obviously, be better from here on out. So it’s my fault.”
His second shift was cut short after he tweaked his left ankle, prompting head coach Joe Mazzulla to send in third-string center Luka Garza.
Mazzulla and Robinson both downplayed the injury, and the big man returned to the floor before halftime. He converted a lob dunk from White off a well-executed pick-and-roll early in the fourth quarter, but he followed that up with a string of miscues.
After drawing a foul on his only offensive rebound of the game, Robinson missed both free throws, then failed to secure offensive boards after three straight errant 3-pointers by Celtics teammates. He looked visibly fatigued during that stretch, and after the third miss, he was slow to recover on defense, leading to an open look at the rim for Pistons center Jalen Duren.
Duren laid the ball in and drew a foul on Jayson Tatum. His three-point play was part of a 23-0 Pistons run that buried the Celtics, who had led by 22 points midway through the third quarter.
Mazzulla pulled Robinson after that play and sat him for the final 5:50. Boston’s top free agent addition finished with three points, three rebounds and two blocks, with an offensive rebounding rate (6.3%) far below his league-leading 20.1% mark last season.
“We’ve got to keep our foot on the gas,” Robinson said. “It starts with me. I’m obviously one of the best defensive bigs in the league, and I didn’t show it that night. I’ve got to take ownership of that, and I’ve got to do better.”
Robinson said he received several postgame texts from his head coach, who publicly backed the 7-footer after the game and on Thursday. He did not reply to the last of those because he “was still stuck in my head about” his performance.
“He’s a very important piece to what we do,” Mazzulla said, “and so the standard is a little bit higher and the expectation is a little bit higher. So I think it just comes with time, understanding that every play, you’re at the nucleus of what we’re trying to accomplish on both ends of the floor. And it’s a great compliment that I think all three of those bigs (Robinson, Neemias Queta and Garza) share.
“Some of that just comes with time. Just the offensive reads, the offensive chemistry, the offensive execution, and also the defensive reads and the defensive reactions that we have to have. I appreciate that he’s in that space, and I think he’s taking on the responsibility of knowing how important that position is to us.”
How does Robinson plan to move past his dud of a debut?
“I use it as fuel,” he said. “Kind of have to. I mean, last game, we got demolished. As a big, you can’t let that happen. You know what I mean? So I’ve got to take that on the chin and learn from it, watch the film and get better, and just focus on the next one.”
The “next one” is a notable one for Robinson. After playing his first eight seasons with the New York Knicks — and winning a championship with them last season — he’ll face his former team for the first time Friday night in Boston’s home opener (7 p.m.).
“It don’t really matter that much,” said Robinson, who did not watch New York’s championship ring ceremony Tuesday evening. “It’s more so just trying to bounce back from what happened two nights ago. At the end of the day, basketball is a business, and we’ve got to play the (Knicks) like you play the other teams.”
#### Detroit debrief
Mazzulla said the Celtics “played really good process basketball on both ends of the floor” for roughly 38 of the 48 minutes against the Pistons.
What went wrong in the other 10? The coach pointed to a few avoidable errors that helped power Detroit’s rally.
“You can’t foul jump shooters,” Mazzulla said. “You can’t give up offensive rebound and-ones. We had five and-ones, and we fouled 3-point shooters three times. Those things can’t happen. There’s other stuff that we did relatively well, and there’s stuff that we have to clean up among some transitions. But we’ve fouled jump shooters and still won. Still can’t do it.”
Sam Hauser, who was responsible for two of the three jump-shot fouls, said the Celtics also needed to clean up their communication.
“That’s where the lapses happened, I think, for the majority of that run in the second half,” the veteran wing said. “So, tightening up that. I think if you communicate even if you’re out of position, it usually helps clear things up. So just emphasizing that (Friday) and the next couple games coming up.”
#### Pierce visits
Celtics legend Paul Pierce attended Thursday’s practice.
“The door is open for any Celtic,” Mazzulla said. “He’s obviously — when we were out in LA. He was there. It’s great to have him around. You know, the perspective, individual conversations, but also the perspective of one of the best players to play for the Celtics. And any chance you can have him in the building, we’re happy he can be there. So just grateful he’s here for anyone to pick a train and love having him around.”
Hauser said it was “pretty awesome” to have the Basketball Hall of Famer at the facility.
“Obviously, he did a lot for this city and the organization, so having him here … even if you don’t talk to him, just having his presence here is felt,” he said. “And it makes you want to carry on the Celtics tradition, the legacy, when you’ve got those guys around even more.”
#### Off the rim
Happy birthday, Brad Stevens. The Celtics’ president of basketball operations turned 50 on Thursday.