Paul George makes history in Celtics debut

Boston Celtics forward Paul George. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul George makes history in Celtics debut

By Nicholas Boonstra | Last updated Oct 20, 2026 6:37 PM ET

When the Boston Celtics traded for Paul George from the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer, plenty of fans around the NBA world had more than a few questions.

Well, PG13 did just about as much as he could in one game to answer them on Tuesday.

The regular-season opener between Boston and the Detroit Pistons was already turning heads even before tip-off due to its unorthodox afternoon tip-off time of 3 p.m. ET, but attention quickly turned to the action on the court in what was a back-and-forth affair that ended narrowly in Detroit's favor, 121-113.

And while many back in Boston will be lamenting Jayson Tatum's paltry 13-point showing, Celtics fans will surely take heart from the performance of his brand new teammate, who led the way for the team in green and even made history in the process.

Paul George breaks Celtics franchise record for points on debut

After showing positive signs in preseason, George scored 38 points for Boston against Detroit in his first official Celtics appearance, going 7-for-12 from beyond the arc and setting a franchise record for most points on debut in the process.

Paul George vs Pistons: 38 PTS (most ever in a Celtics debut) 5 STL 7 3P Joins Jaylen Brown as the only Celtics with 35+ PTS, 5+ STL, 5+ 3P in a game. https://t.co/uoC3yRd7dP
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 20, 2026

PG13 had already broken the previous record of 30 points, set by Kristaps Porzingis in 2023, by midway through the third quarter, and the veteran wing rolled back the years as he scored not only from deep but even on aggressive drives to the basket past Cade Cunningham and the formidable Pistons defense on his way to 38.

George's own defense was impressive as well, with the new addition finishing with five steals, but his three turnovers on errant passes did mar what was otherwise an impressive debut.

The performance was a promising sign for an aging and injury-prone star claiming to feel better than he has in years going into the new season. However, it was not enough to lift the Celtics to victory, as Tatum struggled to score in the first game of his career without Jaylen Brown as a teammate and ultimately missed each of the seven 3-pointers he attempted.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics will have a lot of film to study as they recuperate from Tuesday's loss to the reigning No. 1-seed in the East. But if his first game for Boston is anything to go by, it looks like George will fit seamlessly into the team's scheme even at age 36.

Nicholas Boonstra

Nick Boonstra is a sports journalist who previously worked as the in-house Staff Writer for the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. A lifelong Bay Stater, Nick has been a fan of the Celtics and the Red Sox since birth and, at times less enjoyably, of West Ham United Football Club since high school. Apart from sports writing, Nick has had some unforgettable experiences as a rideshare driver in Boston that are best left for another time

More must-reads: