DETROIT — The Celtics will be at near-full strength when they face the Detroit Pistons for their first game of the year on Tuesday at 3pm ET.
The only exception is Devin Carter, who is listed as out with an illness. Carter, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics on Sunday after beginning the year on an Exhibit 10 contract, was diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss several weeks.
The rest of the roster is good to go. In the two preseason games in which the Celtics were at full strength, they started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, though it remains to be seen if that will be their go-to starting lineup when the regular season begins.
The Celtics went 4-0 in preseason, racking up two wins against the Philadelphia 76ers, a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a win against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Celtics face the reigning No. 1 seed in the season opener
The Celtics went 1-3 against the Pistons during the regular season last year. The Pistons finished the season with the Eastern Conference’s best record at 60-22; the Celtics’ finished with the second-best record at 56-26. Detroit’s season ended at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
This Pistons team is different than the one that dominated last year’s regular season; they lost two key rotation pieces in Tobias Harris, who left in free agency to join the San Antonion Spurs, and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Their biggest additions are forward John Collins, who they acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, and Isaiah Joe, who they acquired via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pistons, who went 3-1 in the preseason, are expected to start Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Jalen Duren when the two teams face off on Tuesday.
