Paul George could hardly have asked for a better individual start to life with the Boston Celtics, although his record-breaking debut was not enough to prevent a 121-113 defeat against the Detroit Pistons.
The veteran forward put up 38 points in his first appearance for Boston, setting a new franchise record and giving Celtics supporters plenty to be excited about despite the disappointing result.
George wasted little time making his mark, shooting 12-of-21 from the field, including seven three-pointers from 12 attempts. He also chipped in with five rebounds, three assists and five steals in just 31 minutes.
His impressive scoring display broke the previous Celtics debut record of 30 points, which Kristaps Porziņģis set back in 2023.
It was exactly the sort of performance Boston would have wanted from their new arrival, even if the final result took some of the shine off the occasion.
The Celtics will undoubtedly be disappointed to have come away empty-handed against Detroit, particularly after such an impressive showing from George.
There were still plenty of positives to take from his performance. His outside shooting gives Boston another dangerous attacking option, while his five steals showed that he can make a difference at the defensive end as well.
Ultimately, George will be more concerned about winning games than breaking individual records.
But if his debut is anything to go by, Celtics fans have good reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead.
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