144: The Celtics Set a Preseason Record as Paul George Debuts in Green
Payton Pritchard scored 25, Jayson Tatum added 23 and Paul George filled the sheet in his debut as Boston beat Philadelphia 144-106, a franchise preseason scoring record. Plus: the 144 quiz.
Dear Sir or Madam,
BOSTON, Oct. 12, 2026 — Preseason games are supposed to be quiet. Nobody told the Celtics. On Friday night at TD Garden, Boston hung 144 points on the Philadelphia 76ers in a 144-106 win, setting a franchise record for points in a preseason game and moving to 2-0 this fall.
The numbers that matter
- Payton Pritchard led the way with 25 points.
- Jayson Tatum added 23.
- Paul George, in his first game in green, stuffed the sheet: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists.
- Baylor Scheierman ran the floor with 8 assists and 5 steals, and Mitchell Robinson made his preseason debut with a defensive presence you could feel.
- As a team: 16 steals, a 29-rebound edge, and 40 points off turnovers.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla pointed to the other end of the floor: “Defensively, they take things to another level.”
Why this one is worth more than a preseason box score
Exhibition wins do not go in the standings, and Philadelphia played short-handed. But records are records, and the way Boston got there matters. Forty points off turnovers means the offense started with the defense. George’s five steals in his debut say the new pieces understand the assignment. Pritchard’s 25 says the bench can carry a night.
The Boston Made Take
Boston has always built winners from the back end. The great Celtics teams were defined by what they took away before they were defined by what they scored. Sixteen steals in October is a statement of identity, not a statistic.
New pieces, old standard. Every Celtics era starts with newcomers learning what the jersey asks of them. A debut where Paul George does a little of everything, without forcing anything, is exactly how that education is supposed to begin.
The city is humming. In one weekend, the Bruins beat Utah 6-1 behind four points from new captain David Pastrnak, the Celtics set a preseason record, and the Patriots rolled the Raiders 45-17. The next stop for the Celtics is Charlotte on Wednesday at the Garden.
Celtics quiz: 144 and counting
Tap an answer to see how you did.
Your call
- Is Paul George the missing piece, or a luxury on a deep roster?
- Does Pritchard’s scoring earn him a bigger role when the games count?
- What matters more in October: wins or habits?
Sources
- Celtics-Sixers recap: Pritchard, Tatum lead C’s to dominant win — NBC Sports Boston
- Pastrnak posts four points in Bruins’ 6-1 win over Mammoth — NHL.com
- Patriots-Raiders recap — NBC Sports Boston
Featured image: AI-generated illustration (DeepAI). Boston Made is not affiliated with the Boston Celtics or the NBA.
