The Boston Celtics opened their 2026–27 NBA season on a historic low note on Tuesday. In a new era not led by a star duo, the Celtics were on the wrong side of history by surrendering a 22-point third-quarter cushion to fall 121–113 to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. After an emotional offseason for the fanbase, fans needed someone to blame. Fortunately for Paul George, Jayson Tatum was it.
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What began as a commanding display for Boston quickly turned into a landmark collapse, powered by a 23-0 run by Detroit in the late stages of the third and fourth quarters. The loss marked the largest comeback victory on opening night in the NBA play-by-play era, dating back to the 1997–98 season.
It was a jarring departure for a Boston franchise that held a perfect 38-0 record last season, leading by 20 or more points. But last season had a different anchor who scored his first regular-season bucket for the 76ers on a LeBron James assist under the Knicks’ championship banner.
While 36-year-old Paul George produced a memorable franchise debut, scoring 38 points alongside five rebounds and five steals after being acquired from Philadelphia for 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, the spotlight shifted squarely onto Jayson Tatum’s difficult night.
Tatum endured a nightmarish shooting performance, finishing with 13 points and 11 assists on 6-of-23 shooting from the field, including going 0-for-7 from three-point range. Tatum managed just two points on 1-of-10 shooting in the second half, missing key looks down the stretch as the Pistons mounted their final surge.
Addressing his struggles after the game, Tatum remained confident in his shot selection despite the outcome.
“I mean, it felt good,” Tatum told reporters. “Definitely not one of my best nights, obviously. I just have to play better. Part of my role is scoring, so I felt really good about a lot of the looks. But watching film, probably slowing down in some of those moments to be better. It’s more about just making a play, maybe for myself, but for my teammates.”
Head coach Joe Mazzulla echoed Tatum’s perspective, noting that the forward had good shot selection tonight, even if the execution fell short.
The optimism, though, is not felt by the Celtics fanbase, who’ve been through an emotional rollercoaster and want assurance that Brad Stevens made the right call.
Celtics fans target Jayson Tatum for opening night collapse
Following the final buzzer, social media erupted with vocal reactions targeting Boston’s now sole occupant of the spotlight. While Celtics fans and analysts were shocked by PG13 still outperforming his younger teammates, fans expressed frustration that Tatum’s cold shooting night derailed what could have been a victorious debut for George.
Pointing directly to his late-game misfires, one fan bluntly declared, “They literally lost because of Tatum.”
JB Bickerstaff openly took credit for JT’s performance tonight by telling reporters the key to slowing down Tatum is “Ausar Thompson. That simple. You get him in 1-on-1 situations, you’re gonna be in for a long night no matter who you are.”
Ausar indeed made Tatum’s lucrative contract extension look like a waste during the second-half drought. A fan in disbelief even volunteered, “You can pay me a hundred million to go out there and play like absolute s—! 😂”
Other supporters focused on the offseason trade that sent Jaylen Brown away, contrasting Tatum’s performance with George’s hot hand. Critics felt validated to say, “Celtics traded their 1st option to let Tatum actually prove hes that guy and IMMEDIATLY getting outplayed by 36yr old Paul George game 1😂😂😂😂”
The conversation naturally drifted back to the absence of Brown, who spent years forming Boston’s wing tandem alongside Tatum. Assessing his individual play without his longtime running mate, a fan noted, “He not good without Jaylen Brown lol”
Meanwhile, George’s 38-point outburst led several fans to question the hierarchy in Boston’s offense moving forward. Surprised by the immediate scoring shift, one user wrote, “Pg run that team now”
Despite heavy online criticism, a section of the fan base urged patience given the length of the regular season. Reminding fellow supporters that it’s only the first game of the season, one optimistic fan concluded, “There’s 81 games left, Tatum needs to chill. His game will come back soon hopefully.”
Boston will look to rebound from the opening night loss on Friday when they return home to host the New York Knicks at TD Garden.