Paul George looked like he still had it in his Boston Celtics debut, scoring 38 points in a 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The 38 points were the most by a Celtic in his first game with the team, and the fifth most by any player in his debut with an NBA franchise.
George made 12 of 21 shots, including 7 of 12 from three-point range. "I'm not a moral victory guy," he said after the game. "It means nothing." Still, the nine-time All-Star joined an elite list. Kyrie Irving scored 50 for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 to set the NBA debut scoring record, while Kiki Vandeweghe, Wilt Chamberlain and Damian Lillard also posted big debut totals.
George, 36 and in his 17th season, was acquired from the 76ers last summer in a trade for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Injuries and a 25-game suspension for a failed drug test limited him to 37 and 41 games in the past two regular seasons. He admitted that his legs felt heavy during training camp, but he said his health looked encouraging in Detroit, where he played 31 minutes with five steals, five rebounds and three assists.
The Celtics led by 22 points and were up 72-50 early in the third quarter after George made three three-pointers in under a minute. Boston then collapsed, becoming the fifth team in 30 seasons to lose a season opener after leading by 22 points. Detroit also recorded the biggest comeback win in a league opener since 1997. Jayson Tatum struggled, making only 6 of 23 shots, and Javonte Green's late three-pointer capped a 23-0 Pistons run.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing