It's dangerous for Boston Celtics fans to overreact to their Opening Night loss on the road against a Detroit Pistons team that finished last season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. That does not mean there aren't several aspects of Boston's performance in Detroit that should not cause serious concern for everyone associated with the franchise.
The Celtics were sitting pretty in the third quarter with a 72-50 lead on the back of a blistering offensive start driven by newly acquired veteran Paul George. Things after that could hardly have gone worse for the visitors. The Pistons blitzed the Celtics down the stretch and ended up winning rather comfortably by a final score of 121-113.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla and his staff still have 81 regular seasons left to figure things out before the postseason arrives. These are the three issues they should be most concerned about after their Opening Night debacle.
Jayson Tatum could not buy a bucket against the Pistons
Jayson Tatum has to be the Celtics best player if they are going to accomplish anything meaningful this year. In particular, he needs to be an efficient offensive engine for a team that lacks a supporting cast filled with creators.
Boston will struggle any time Tatum struggles to make shots and only making six of his 23 shots against the Sixers doomed his team to a loss. Missing all seven of his three-pointers is a particular concern for the Celtics' hopes of building a quality half court offense. They need his gravity as an above-the-break marksman behind the arc to create room for his teammates.
Some Boston fans might point to Tatum's 11 assists as a bright spot, but most of those were simply byproducts of him having the ball in his hands so frequently. The Celtics need more from their best player as a scorer and offensive engine if they're going to be a factor in the Eastern Conference.
Mitchell Robinson was a non-factor for the Celtics
The Celtics pried center Mitchell Robinson away from their rivals in New York with the hope that he could give them a boost of power and athleticism on the interior. His first game for the franchise proved to be a dud in almost every aspect.
Robinson only managed to log 18 minutes against the Pistons, in part because of a rolled ankle. He scored four points and nabbed three rebounds on the night, but that didn't help the Celtics succeed during his time on the floor. He finished the night with a minus-8 plus/minus rating, which accurately described his struggles against the Detroit frontcourt.
It's fair to assume Robinson will get better as he gels with his new teammates, but his lack of athletic pop is a warning sign for his hopes of being a plus for the Celtics anytime soon. It might take him quite a while to play his way into shape and Boston is not a team who can afford him that sort of patience.
The Celtics' bench was run over by the Pistons
A big piece of Mazzulla's regular season success with th Celtics is driven by having one of the most productive benches in the NBA. That group let him down against the Pistons in a major way on Opening Night.
Payton Pritchard managed to score 17 points but still finished with a minus-10 rating on the night. Baylor Scheierman also finished at minus-10 and Hugo Gonzalez was even worse with a team low mark of minus-15. Their minutes on the floor allowed the Pistons to mount a furious comeback in the second half.
Their lack of defensive production against a Pistons team that was prone to long stretches of offensive inefficiency last season is particularly concerning for Boston. Better days should be ahead for their bench group, but they need to show they can compete against other Eastern Conference contenders if the Celtics are going to match their preseason expectations.
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