Even if the final result really sucked for the Boston Celtics, there's virtually nothing to complain about with Paul George's debut. George's potential impact on the Celtics fell under the radar this summer because he underwhelmed with Philadelphia, but he was quick to make a point that the washed allegations were very much exaggerated.
Everyone knows he's not going to play like that every night. If he could, Boston would have had to fork over assets in the Jaylen Brown trade, not Philadelphia. However, if he asserts himself as the No. 2 in Boston, you know who that benefits the most? Derrick White.
White is still a highly impactful player when he's on the floor, but everyone knows he's coming off a bad shooting season. What everyone is looking forward to is knowing whether it's the chicken or the egg. Did White simply have a bad year from deep, or was that a product of him taking a bigger role than he's used to?
Well, George's explosive debut could be the key to figuring it out. George's gravity allowed White more space on the floor. When the game was over, White finished with 17 points on seven-for-13 shooting, including shooting three-for-seven from three.
Not a beastly night from the All-Defense guard, but above all else, an encouraging sign to see from White after what went down last year. If George shows teams he still has a strong enough presence as Jayson Tatum's No. 2, it puts White in a position to put up the shooting numbers fans know and love.
It also makes Boston harder to stop
Losing to the Pistons was not fun to watch. Especially in the fashion in which the Celtics lost. However, it really came down to Jayson Tatum not having the best game. He was going up against one of the NBA's best defenses, but these subpar Tatum performances, while frustrating, have always proven to be the exception, not the norm.
When Tatum, George, and White are firing on all cylinders on both sides of the floor, the Celtics are going to be extremely difficult to beat. They may not hit all their shots at the same time, but it sets the pecking order, and all three of them can make their lives easier.
Boston lost in pretty embarrassing fashion to Detroit. They had a 22-point lead and then feel asleep at the wheel. Even so, George's and White's performances are encouraging enough for fans to be optimistic that this team is going to rack up quite a few wins.
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