Joe Mazzulla still hasn’t picked his starting five for the 2026-27 season, but the Boston Celtics coach appears to have most of his lineup figured out.
Mazzulla was asked about Boston’s starting lineup after practice this week. He revealed that three or four of the five spots are “pretty etched in stone,” leaving one or two spots up for grabs.
“I don’t spend a ton of time on that because I just know it’s going to change,” he said. “It’s just constantly going to just being the nature of the league, the schedule, managing minutes, X, Y and Z, so I don’t spend a ton of time worrying about that.
“Obviously, I’d probably say three out of the five, or four out of the five, are pretty etched in stone, and so you’re just looking to see from there.”
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Who could those three or four spots be?
There’s no question that Jayson Tatum will start. Derrick White is another no-brainer, even though he had a down shooting year in 2025-26. He’s one of the best defenders in the NBA, and his overall impact makes him hard to remove from the starting lineup.
Paul George also figures to be a strong bet after the Celtics acquired him from the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. His secondary playmaking, 3-point shooting and defensive versatility give Boston another two-way starter.
After those three is where it gets interesting.
Mazzulla likely has two decisions to make:
Who starts next to Derrick White? Moving White to point guard would open the door for Baylor Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez to start at shooting guard. Alternatively, Mazzulla could start Payton Pritchard at point guard and move White to shooting guard, which would leave the Celtics with a smaller backcourt.Who starts at center? Neemias Queta was Boston’s starting center last season, but the addition of Mitchell Robinson could move him back to the bench.
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The juiciest decision is between Queta and Robinson.
Queta took a significant step forward last season, averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while establishing himself as a quality starting center.
Robinson, meanwhile, brings a different skill set.
Robinson started only 16 of 60 games for the New York Knicks last season, but he’s been a full-time starter before and is one of the most dominant offensive rebounders in NBA history. He’s also an excellent screener and lob threat.
Mazzulla will have to decide between sticking with the center who just had the best season of his career or turning to Robinson’s more specialized strengths.
The caveat is that Mazzulla isn’t choosing his starting lineup for the entire season. As he mentioned, these things are fluid. Who the Celtics start on opening night might not start later in the season, whether it’s because of injuries, matchups or performance.
Still, Mazzulla has plenty to figure out before the Celtics take the court for their season opener.
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