![\"Boston](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792320501_993_celtsms008.jpg\")
Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta blocks Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller during Wednesday’s NBA preseason game. Matt Stone\/Boston Herald)\nTatum looks healthy<\/p>\n
The Celtics wrapped up an undefeated preseason Friday night, upsetting the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime while starting a lineup of G League players.<\/p>\n
As Boston shifts its focus to Tuesday\u2019s season opener in Detroit \u2014 a rare 3 p.m. weekday tipoff against Cade Cunningham and the Pistons \u2014 here are five things we learned about head coach Joe Mazzulla\u2019s squad during its four-game exhibition slate:<\/p>\n
Rotation outlook<\/p>\n
Mazzulla is loath to reveal any details about his game plans, so the Celtics\u2019 opening night starting lineup could be a unit we have yet to see in action. That was the case last year, when Mazzulla started four different lineups in the preseason and then a fifth in the opener (and a sixth two games later).<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s what we know right now: In the two games Boston\u2019s starters played this preseason, Mazzulla went with the same top five: Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum and Mitchell Robinson. He also had the same substitution pattern behind them: Payton Pritchard and Neemias Queta first, then Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman, then Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza. Those 11 made up the Celtics\u2019 core rotation.<\/p>\n
Again, knowing Mazzulla, it would not be surprising if this setup changed Tuesday afternoon. He could opt for Queta \u2014 who started 75 games last season and finished fourth in Most Improved Player voting \u2014 over Robinson, or swap any number of players into the Walsh spot.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the starting job with the widest range of viable candidates; one could make a case for Pritchard, Scheierman, Hauser or Gonzalez. But Mazzulla, for what it\u2019s worth, said he likes what Walsh brings in that role.<\/p>\n
\u201cJordan continues to be really good at the start of games, guarding the team\u2019s best player, getting off to a good start defensively,\u201d Mazzulla said after Wednesday\u2019s win over Charlotte. \u201c(It\u2019s) something he\u2019s done well for us those last couple of games, and it\u2019s a huge role for him that we\u2019re going to need from him.\u201d<\/p>\n
If Walsh sticks, expect to see him defending Cunningham, Detroit\u2019s All-NBA point guard, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Regardless of how Mazzulla structures his (likely ever-evolving) rotation, the Celtics will be able to field an experienced second unit, which was not the case at this point last year. Queta, Pritchard, Hauser, Scheierman and Walsh all started 20-plus games in 2025-26, and Garza and Gonzalez both played in at least 69. Mike Conley\u2019s in the mix, too, as a veteran leader\/depth piece.<\/p>\n
This preseason, Boston outscored opponents by 47 points with Queta on the floor, by 50 points with Hauser and by 54 points with Pritchard.<\/p>\n
Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta blocks Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller during Wednesday’s NBA preseason game. Matt Stone\/Boston Herald)
\nTatum looks healthy<\/p>\n
Tatum\u2019s numbers over his two preseason appearances: 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 47.2% shooting, 38.9% on 3-pointers.<\/p>\n
He played the entire first quarter<\/a> in both games \u2014 scoring in double figures in both \u2014 and led all Celtics starters in minutes played (27 vs. Philadelphia; 29 vs. Charlotte). Had he not sat out the two fourth quarters, he likely would have come in right around his usual gameday average of 35 to 36 minutes.<\/p>\n Tatum had four turnovers in his second game and attempted just one free throw this preseason, so there\u2019s a higher level for him to reach. But if you didn\u2019t know he was entering his first full season since his Achilles surgery, you wouldn\u2019t guess it from how he\u2019s played thus far.<\/p>\n One unanswered question is whether the Celtics will manage Tatum\u2019s workload (and George\u2019s, and Robinson\u2019s), particularly during their hectic early-season schedule. Boston has four back-to-backs in the opening month and will play 12 of its 16 November games on the road.<\/p>\n Turnover uptick<\/p>\n The Celtics have never boasted anything less than a top-tier defense under Mazzulla (second, second, fourth and fourth in defensive rating in the last four seasons), but those units never put much stock in forcing turnovers.<\/p>\n Even last season, Boston touted a plan to be more aggressive defensively but quickly abandoned it, ultimately finishing 28th in steals (7.1 per game) and 29th in opponent turnovers (12.4)<\/p>\n Will that change this year? The small sample of the preseason suggests it could.<\/p>\n Over the two games the starters played, Boston\u2019s opponents committed a whopping 53 turnovers<\/a>. The Sixers committed 18 on Friday \u2014 including 14 by Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid \u2014 while nine different Celtics registered at least one steal.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t discount the impact George and Robinson can have in this area. The two new Celtics ranked in the 89th and 95th percentile, respectively, for their position in steal rate last season.<\/p>\n \u201cDefensively, they take things to another level,\u201d Mazzulla said.<\/p>\n George struggled to find his shot during his two preseason outings (25.0%; 21.4% from three) but racked up seven steals<\/a>. As a team, the Celtics ranked fourth in the NBA in steals per game.<\/p>\n Stock up: Hugo Gonzalez<\/p>\n One player who certainly did not struggle as a shooter this preseason was Gonzalez.<\/p>\n The second-year wing dramatically improved his 3-point field-goal percentage, going 11-for-20 from deep (55%) over four games. He also scored 15-plus points in three of those contests \u2014 including a team-high 21 in 20 minutes in Friday\u2019s finale \u2014 after doing so just once in 74 appearances as a rookie.<\/p>\n