Paul George Gets Fined by NBA After Stunning 38-Point Showdown in Celtics Debut

The 2026-27 NBA season is finally underway, and yet there's already plenty of controversy going on around the league. On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics took on the Detroit Pistons for their season-opening game. It was a big game for the Celtics, as it was the moment of truth to see if Jayson Tatum could carry his team without Jaylen Brown by his side.

Turns out, Tatum's new duo, Paul George, did all the heavy lifting for Boston, as he came up with a huge 38-point outing in his Celtics debut. While it was great to see George turn out to be an asset to Boston, he already found himself in trouble. The NBA went on social media on Wednesday to announce that they're fining PG for flopping against the Pistons on Tuesday.

"BOS’s Paul George was assessed a postgame Flopping fine of $2,000 upon league office review on Oct. 20 vs. DET," the NBA wrote on X.

This came off as a bizarre call to the fans. In the case of George, towards the late stages of the fourth quarter, the Celtics were trying to catch up, down 112-101 with 2:55 minutes remaining.

Understanding the situation, PG was simply trying to get his team in the bonus so they could have free-throw opportunities. After the Pistons missed a shot attempt, Derrick White secured the rebound for the Celtics.

As the Boston players were getting back on defense, George ran into Duncan Robinson. He then attempted to seize the opportunity by flopping onto Robinson upon contact, dramatically falling to the ground.

Unfortunately for George, his theatrics were unsuccessful, as he didn't get the whistle from the officials. The game continued without any stoppage despite PG's efforts to draw a foul on Robinson.

Given how the NBA is already dishing out flopping fines this early in the season, everyone is now curious if other stars will be fined for their theatrics as well in the days to come.

Paul George's 38-Point Outing Falls Short Against Pistons

The Boston Celtics are off to a cold start after losing to the Detroit Pistons 121-113 on Tuesday. While the outcome of the game might've been close, the results could've been very different if the Celtics had taken care of the ball.

During the third quarter, Boston at one point held a 22-point lead. This was mainly due to Paul George's hot streak from beyond the arc, knocking down several 3-point shots to add to their lead. However, the Celtics went cold afterward, allowing the Pistons to catch up, ultimately resulting in their demise.

Despite the loss, we have to acknowledge the efforts George put in, as he attempted to lead his new team to success. PG added 38 points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals. He was efficient on both ends of the floor, which is why Boston was ahead by plenty at one point.

However, as the saying goes, no man is an island. George could only do so much on his own. Jayson Tatum, the supposed face of the Celtics franchise, was ice-cold on Tuesday.

While Tatum did put up a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists, his performance overall was a bust. Tatum missed seven of his 3-point attempts and only shot 26.1% from the field.

The good news is, it's only the first game. With 81 games remaining, Tatum has plenty of time to recalibrate and bounce back from a poor start to his season.