Celtics take a near-set starting five to Detroit, with Jordan Walsh holding the last spot
WhyNBA Sports Desk · Oct 19, 2026
The story
The Boston Celtics head into Tuesday's season opener in Detroit with most of their starting lineup settled, and the preseason points to Jordan Walsh keeping the final spot next to Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson.
The story
Joe Mazzulla has not named his opening five.
The story
Speaking after practice last week, the Celtics coach said three or four of the five places are "pretty etched in stone," and added that he does not spend much energy on the question because the group will shift with the schedule and with how he manages minutes over the season.
The story
Those comments leave one, maybe two, decisions for the trip to Little Caesars Arena.
What the preseason showed
The clearest look came in Boston's third exhibition, a 114-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, October 14. Mazzulla started Tatum, White, George, Robinson and Walsh.
What the preseason showed
Tatum led that group with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in 29 minutes, White added 17 points and 4 steals, and Robinson made all five of his shots for 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in 17 minutes.
What the preseason showed
Walsh scored only 2 points that night, but his value to Mazzulla is at the other end.
What the preseason showed
After the game the coach praised how the fourth-year wing opens games by taking the opponent's best scorer, saying "Jordan continues to be really good at the start of games." Walsh signed a three-year, $15 million deal this summer and opened each of Boston's first three exhibitions with the starters.
What the preseason showed
In the overtime win at Philadelphia on Friday, when Mazzulla rested his regulars and started five camp players, Walsh came off the bench for 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks in 18 minutes.
The center question
The bigger call may be in the middle. Neemias Queta started at center last season, averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, but Robinson's arrival from New York has moved him to the second unit in the preseason.
The center question
Queta answered with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting off the bench against Charlotte, and Boston was plus-16 in his 24 minutes.
The center question
The second unit looks deep either way. Payton Pritchard ran it against the Hornets with 11 assists and no turnovers, Sam Hauser was plus-23 in 18 minutes, and Hugo Gonzalez scored 21 at Philadelphia.
The center question
Baylor Scheierman is the other wing who could push for a start if Mazzulla wants more shooting next to White. Boston finished the preseason 4-0.
What comes next
The Celtics open at the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, October 20, at 3 p.m. ET, the first game of the 2026-27 season. Lineups, live scores and the full box score will be in the Celtics at Pistons Game Center.
Photo credit
TD Garden in Boston, November 2013. Photo: Kid Clutch / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0. Resized.
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