Paul George Had A Record-Breaking Boston Celtics Debut, Then Got A Surprise Fine From The NBA

Paul George had the kind of Celtics debut most players only dream of. He scored 38 points, set a franchise record and looked like his old self. Then, one day later, the NBA sent him a bill. The league fined George $2,000 on Wednesday for a flop late in Tuesday's loss to the Pistons, and it's the first flopping fine of the new season. The play came with three minutes left, and it only added to a night the Celtics would like to forget.

The Flop That Cost Paul George $2,000

With about three minutes left in regulation, George was running in transition when he bumped into Duncan Robinson. He made the contact look bigger than it was and landed on the floor. The league office reviewed the play afterward and called it a flop.

The league can do that. It can fine a player after looking at video, even if officials didn't call a flop during the game. A flop called live gives the other team a technical foul and a free throw, but after the game it's only money, and the fines grow if a player keeps doing it.

It is just $2,000, and it isn't a suspension, so George can play on Friday.

He had plenty to feel good about otherwise. George scored 38 points in about 31 minutes, with five rebounds, three assists and five steals, and he hit 12 of 21 shots and seven of 12 threes. No Celtic had ever scored more in a debut, passing Kristaps Porzingis, who had 30 in 2023. Only five other players in NBA history have had a game with at least 38 points, five rebounds, five steals and seven threes.

After the game, he said his legs felt heavy in camp. “I feel like I'm getting my pop back,” he said.

How The Celtics Blew A 22-Point Lead

Boston was cruising. It led 72-50 in the third quarter after George hit three straight threes, and it was still up 99-89 with a little over eight minutes left.

Then it fell apart. The Pistons went on a 23-0 run over about five minutes and took a 112-99 lead with 3:33 left. It was the biggest comeback on the first day of an NBA season since 1997-98.

Robinson did the most damage. He scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics fouled him twice on three-point tries. Javonte Green, who didn't play in the first half, came off the bench and scored 11 of his 19 points in a two-minute stretch. Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham added 22 points each.

Jayson Tatum had a rough night. He shot 6-of-23 for 13 points, went 0-for-7 from three and scored only two points in the second half, though he did have 11 assists. Ausar Thompson's defense on him made a big difference.

“When we outwork you, we're going to be hard to beat,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

The Celtics get a quick chance to bounce back on Friday, and it comes against the 76ers, Jaylen Brown's new team.