Jayson Tatum’s Struggles Allow Pistons to Stage Dramatic 18-Point Comeback Win

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had a rough open to the regular season during his team's loss against the Detroit Pistons.

Jayson Tatum’s Struggles Allow Pistons to Stage Dramatic 18-Point Comeback Win

Jayson Tatum (Image credits - Essentially Sports)

Jayson Tatum has kickstarted a new era in Boston without Jaylen Brown. After the Boston Celtics selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum has led his team to immense success.

While many do not see the Celtics as championship contenders this season, all eyes were on them as they took on the Detroit Pistons on opening night. The Celtics got off to a strong start, heading into halftime with a 13-point lead. They ended up squandering a 22-point lead and fell to the Pistons, 121-113, at the Little Caesars Arena.

The spotlight was too bright on Tatum on Tuesday night. He endured a nightmare shooting game as he went 6-of-23 from the field and missed all seven of his three-point attempts. However, he did end up with a double-double as he recorded 13 points, four rebounds, and 11 assists in 38 minutes.

Over the last decade, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have formed one of the most fearsome duos in the NBA. But there was always one question hanging in the air as to whether it was Tatum or Brown’s team.

In the end, the Celtics management made it clear that Tatum was their franchise superstar by trading away Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer. It was not the start Tatum and the Celtics would have been hoping for on opening night.

The forward is one of the players under the most pressure this season as the Celtics have banked on him for the future. While all eyes were on Tatum, he ended up playing the Robin role to Paul George, who scored a game-high 38 points on Tuesday.

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Fans react to Jayson Tatum’s disastrous first game against the Pistons

It looked like a promising game for the Celtics despite Jayson Tatum’s struggles. However, it quickly turned into a landmark collapse in the second half. The 28-year-old scored just two points in the second half, making only one of 10 field-goal attempts.

After the game, fans expressed frustration that Tatum’s cold shooting night derailed what could have been a victorious season opener.

Celtics fans were left livid after Jayson Tatum’s poor display. The conversation naturally drifted back to the absence of Brown, who was not able to bail Tatum out on Tuesday.

Jayson Tatum vows to do better after opening night meltdown

While Paul George may be the veteran presence in the locker room, he has made it clear that Jayson Tatum is the team’s star player. Tatum is coming off a long-term injury where he tore his Achilles during the playoffs last year.

Jayson Tatum shoots on Jalen Duren
Jayson Tatum shoots on Jalen Duren (Image credits – Yahoo Sports)

He did make a speedy recovery as he featured towards the end of the 2025-26 regular season and the playoffs. He did look shaky upon his comeback, but it looks like he hasn’t completely shaken off the rust.

However, one difficult shooting night doesn’t prove his injury affected his performance against the Pistons. After the game, Tatum spoke about his poor shooting night.

Definitely not one of my best nights. I just have to play better. Part of my role is scoring. So, I felt really good about a lot of those looks. But, watching film, probably slowing down a little in some of those moments to be better. But, it’s more about just making the play, maybe for myself, but for my teammates.

Jayson Tatum via CLNS Media

It may take Tatum a few games to find his feet. He and the Celtics will be looking to rebound from the opening night loss on Friday when they return home to host the New York Knicks at TD Garden.

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