Celtics take a near-set starting five to Detroit, with Jordan Walsh holding the last spot

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.

Joe Mazzulla has not named his opening five. 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. 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. 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.

Walsh scored only 2 points that night, but his value to Mazzulla is at the other end. 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. 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. 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 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. 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.

Only right to start the season off in Detroit pic.twitter.com/pvRdsqpakE

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) October 19, 2026

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.