Fresno State Professional Athletes

Fresno State's most prominent NBA alumnus announced himself to Boston in the loudest way possible — and then watched the whole thing unravel.

Paul George dropped 38 points in his Boston Celtics debut on October 20, setting a franchise record for most points scored by a player in his first game with the team. He did it on 12-of-21 shooting, drained 7 of 12 from three, and added five steals in just 30 minutes. The performance came against the Detroit Pistons in the NBA's season opener — and it still wasn't enough.

Detroit erased a 22-point second-half lead with a monstrous 20-0 run in the fourth quarter, eventually winning 121-113. The collapse turned what should have been a marquee celebration into a complicated night for a Celtics team still finding its footing with its new co-star.

A Record, a Milestone, and a Fine

The debut was layered with storylines beyond the scoreline. George surpassed Kyle Korver on the NBA's all-time three-point list during the game, a quiet but meaningful milestone for one of the league's premier long-range shooters. Head coach Joe Mazulla's reaction to the performance was characteristically succinct — four words that, per reports, were enough to have Celtics fans buzzing despite the loss.

Then came the fine. The NBA hit George with a $2,000 penalty for flopping late in the fourth quarter, a footnote that added a touch of the absurd to an already turbulent evening.

Getting His 'Pop' Back

What may matter most for Celtics fans is what George said after the game. After two injury-hampered, underwhelming seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, George reflected on his health — and his hunger. He said he's getting his "pop" back, and credited the trade to Boston with reigniting his love for basketball.

Sports Illustrated noted he looked more like the All-Star version of himself that went largely missing in Philly. Boston.com ranked his debut among the greatest in Boston sports history, alongside names like Randy Moss.

A Quick Turnaround

George backed up the opener with a steadier, if quieter, showing in Boston's 107-103 win over the New York Knicks on October 23 — posting 15 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in 33 minutes, finishing with a plus-1. It was a reminder that consistency, not just explosiveness, is what Boston needs from him night to night.

The Fresno State product arrived in Boston as part of a blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, a deal that reshuffled the Eastern Conference and put real pressure on George to deliver. Through one week, the franchise record and the three-point milestone offer proof of concept. The late collapse in Detroit offers a warning. The season ahead will determine which version defines his time in green.

Paul George has worn five different NBA uniforms, but the Fresno State product admitted that slipping on Celtic green for the first time came with a different kind of nerves. Those nerves didn't show up in the box score.

In Boston's 144-106 preseason demolition of his former Philadelphia 76ers squad on Saturday at TD Garden, George finished with 13 points, five rebounds, five steals, and four assists across 25 minutes — shooting 3-for-10 from the field but making his presence felt emphatically on the defensive end. It was his first game since arriving in the blockbuster offseason trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, and by halftime, the result was never in doubt.

The Defensive Tone That Matters Most

Head coach Joe Mazzulla didn't need to see a polished offensive night to come away impressed. It was George's defensive energy — the kind that generates steals, sparks transition, and sets a tone for a locker room — that Mazzulla singled out after the win. Doc Rivers, who coached George with the Clippers, echoed that sentiment, suggesting the veteran forward's defensive habits have a way of becoming contagious for teammates.

Boston.com noted that George played with "playoff-caliber defensive intensity" in his debut — a meaningful signal for a Celtics team that views him as more than just a secondary scorer.

The Tatum Partnership Takes Shape

Perhaps the most striking detail from the night: Saturday was the first time George and Jayson Tatum had actually shared the floor as teammates — even through all of training camp. The two had been split across different practice units, per a Sports Illustrated report citing admissions from both players postgame. The lopsided scoreline suggests the on-court chemistry didn't take long to find its footing.

Tatum led all scorers with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 27 minutes. After the game, he said he was "looking forward" to building with George this season. George, for his part, has been vocal about his role: he told reporters he wants to help Tatum "be in that MVP conversation," framing his move to Boston explicitly as a supporting act for the team's centerpiece, not a co-starring one.

Turning the Clock Back

George clapped back at critics during Celtics Media Day and has continued leaning into a chip-on-the-shoulder narrative heading into 2026-27. During his two seasons in Philadelphia, he appeared in fewer than half of the team's regular-season games — a fact that has followed him into Boston. His stated goal for the upcoming season is simple: availability. Mazzulla confirmed heading into the preseason that George had checked every box in training camp.

The irony of his debut coming against his former team wasn't lost on anyone inside TD Garden. George confirmed postgame that his relationships with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe remain intact despite the trade — but the scoreboard made clear which side of the deal looks good right now.

With the regular-season opener against Detroit set for Oct. 20, Boston's new-look starting five — Tatum, George, Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, and Mitchell Robinson — has exactly one preseason game of live reps together. Celtics fans will be watching closely to see if Saturday was a preview or an outlier.