George Had Five Steals in His Celtics Debut — Tatum May Be the Bigger Winner
GOATIFYPaul George finally saw a three-pointer fall in a Boston Celtics jersey, and the relief was visible. For a veteran with nearly 3,000 career threes, one preseason make should have been routine. But he was wearing new colors, facing the Philadelphia 76ers team that traded him, and sharing the floor with Jayson Tatum as a teammate for the first time.
George recorded 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals in 25 minutes as Boston beat Philadelphia 144–106 on October 10. His shot was not there: 3-for-10 overall, including 2-for-7 from deep. His defensive activity, however, suggested that the Celtics can benefit from the 36-year-old without demanding that he reproduce Jaylen Brown's scoring role every night.
The result was an exhibition against an opponent missing several stars, not proof of a championship formula. Yet George's debut offered an unusually clear glimpse of how the new Celtics partnership is supposed to work.
Five steals explained George's value better than his first three
The first Celtics three-pointer was the obvious highlight because it gave George a moment of relief in unfamiliar colors. But the rest of his stat line is a better guide to what Boston gained. He missed seven of ten field-goal attempts, including five threes, and still influenced the game through positioning, anticipation and effort. Five steals in 25 minutes can turn an otherwise ordinary offensive debut into a productive two-way performance.
Steals are not a complete defensive measure. They sometimes reward risky gambles, and an exhibition against a depleted opponent cannot recreate the precision of a playoff offense. The context nevertheless matters. George used his length to pressure ball handlers, anticipated passing angles and helped Boston create possessions before Philadelphia could organize its half-court defense. For a team built around Tatum's scoring, the ability to turn defense into easier offense is valuable.
Joe Mazzulla praised the newcomer's defensive instincts and positioning afterward. George also acknowledged that the offense remains a work in progress. He is learning where teammates expect the ball, when to attack a mismatch and when to move it quickly. Defensive reads are more portable. Recognizing an opponent's first step or a lazy pass requires less familiarity with a new playbook than executing a complicated set. That helps explain why his contribution looked polished on one end and unfinished on the other.
The 76ers were without LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown, so the result was not a stress test against Philadelphia's strongest lineup. George did not need to defend a full-strength late-game attack or produce a difficult isolation basket with the score tied. Boston should treat his five steals as evidence of activity rather than a prediction of his nightly average.
Still, the larger point survives the opponent caveat. George can help without dominating the ball. If he generates defensive disruptions, moves the ball responsibly and preserves energy for difficult wing assignments, Boston can live with some nights when the jumper arrives late. The Celtics may not need a direct replica of Brown; they may benefit more from a veteran who changes how the team creates opportunities.
Tatum is the centerpiece — and George is embracing the supporting job
The most revealing part of George's first night was not a basket. It was his understanding of his responsibility toward Jayson Tatum. The two had spent training camp competing on opposite sides rather than building on-court chemistry as teammates. Against Philadelphia, they finally shared the floor. George's priority is to make Tatum's decisions easier: create extra possessions, draw attention when necessary and deliver the ball in places where the younger star can attack.
That is a meaningful adjustment for a player who has spent much of his career as a primary option. George has the résumé to demand touches, but Boston already knows whose offense it wants to organize. Tatum scored 23 points, grabbed five rebounds and supplied four assists against the Sixers, looking comfortable attacking and shooting after an injury-disrupted previous season. The Celtics want that version of Tatum available and efficient while reducing the work required to create each good look.
There is a straightforward tactical argument for the pairing. George can initiate a possession without insisting on finishing it. He can attack a weaker defender, force help and make the next pass. When Tatum drives, George can become a catch-and-shoot threat or a second-side creator. When Tatum rests, the veteran can stabilize an offense that otherwise asks smaller guards to solve every matchup. The versatility matters most against disciplined defenses that refuse to give Boston's top scorer easy isolations.
The dynamic is different from Tatum's partnership with Jaylen Brown. Those two developed together and each earned the right to carry the offense. George arrives older, with more miles on his body and a clearly defined supporting assignment. That could simplify the hierarchy, but it does not answer every question. Boston still must decide how often to stagger the stars, how many creation possessions George should own and which frontcourt partners keep the defense balanced.
Saturday provided only an opening sample. Tatum did not need to play the fourth quarter, and Philadelphia's missing stars removed the toughest defensive matchups. Even so, the early signs were specific: George could contribute without shooting efficiently, Tatum remained the centerpiece and both players seemed willing to move the ball. Chemistry is not built in one blowout, but it begins when each player understands what the other is trying to accomplish.
Pritchard and Boston's depth made the experiment more convincing
The George–Tatum partnership drew the headlines, yet the 144–106 score also reflected Boston's supporting cast. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 25 points and seven assists, demonstrating that the offense has meaningful scoring outside its two biggest names. Boston recorded 35 assists on 50 made baskets and outrebounded Philadelphia 70–41. Those numbers describe a team that created possessions, moved the ball and repeatedly won battles near the rim.
That matters for George's integration. If Boston needs him to score 25 every night, the same offensive burden that has worn down veteran stars elsewhere will follow him into a new uniform. If Pritchard can organize second-unit offense, Derrick White can make quick decisions and the frontcourt can secure extra chances, George can spend more minutes supplying connective play and defense. The teammates around him make his new assignment credible.
There are unresolved rotation questions. Mazzulla opened with Tatum, George, Jordan Walsh, White and Mitchell Robinson, while Pritchard came off the bench despite starting regularly last season. Robinson supplies a powerful rebounding presence, but his effect on spacing depends on the players around him. Combinations featuring Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman or Neemias Queta offer different blends of shooting, size and defensive mobility. An October exhibition is a useful laboratory, not a settled closing lineup.
Philadelphia's depleted roster makes the result especially difficult to project. Brown, James and Embiid did not play. A contender with its full complement of stars would respond differently to Boston's pressure and test George's ability to defend without fouling. Pritchard's scoring burst similarly shows what he can supply rather than proving he must become the second option in every important game.
The next useful test is less about whether Boston wins another preseason game by a large margin and more about what happens when the first option is contained. Can George keep the offense moving when Tatum gives up the ball? Can the Celtics maintain their defensive pressure without sacrificing rebounding? Can Pritchard and the bench preserve spacing against a disciplined opponent? Those questions will determine whether Saturday's promising blueprint survives the regular season.
George's first three in green made for a memorable debut moment, but his five steals revealed more about the role Boston needs him to play. If he can defend, create extra possessions and help Tatum find easier shots, an occasional inefficient shooting night becomes manageable.
The 144–106 result came against a shorthanded team and leaves important questions unanswered. The encouraging part is that Boston's new partnership already has a sensible shape: Tatum leads, George connects and disrupts, and a deep supporting cast supplies the rest.
