BOSTON -- Jaylen Brown was back at TD Garden, but he didn't suit up. In fact, Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid were all out for the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
It was the Boston Celtics' second preseason game after they took down the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night. Everyone but Devin Carter and Ron Harper Jr. was active. And Boston's stars came to play.
Jayson Tatum looked like the best version of himself. He was scoring the ball at will. And though Paul George's shots didn't fall, his defense was as advertised: Elite.
VJ Edgecombe did his best to carry the scoring load, but Tyrese Maxey struggled. Philadelphia didn't have the scoring punch to keep up with Boston. The Celtics walked away with a monstrous FINALSCORE victory.
The last time these two teams played at TD Garden, the Sixers ended the Celtics' season. It was only preseason, but this time around, Boston got some early revenge. (But the Celtics will want to repeat this success in the regular season.)
Up: Jayson Tatum
When Tatum returned from his injury last year, it felt like a part of him was still missing. And maybe it was. Maybe his body was fully ready to be back, but his mind was lagging behind.
Tatum looked good. He was still playing like an All-Star. But it felt like every time he had the chance to drive to the rim, he wasn't doing it with full confidence. It looked like a part of him still feared a potential re-injury whenever he took the ball to the basket.
Within the first five minutes of action on Saturday night, that version of Tatum had completely disappeared. He looked like himself again.
If there was a driving lane, Tatum was taking it. And he wasn't looking back or slowing down. The four-time All-NBA First Team version of Tatum was out in full force.
Not only that, but the threes were falling, too. His jumper looked smooth and confident. Unsure about that one-legged floater 3-point attempt, though...
Tatum ended the game with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He shot 9-of-19 from the field and 4-of-10 from deep range.
Down: Mitchell Robinson
The offensive rebounding showed up. Mitchell Robinson was a monster on the boards, just like he always was with the New York Knicks. But it looks like he may need a few games to get up to speed.
Robinson didn't move with the same energy as Neemias Queta or even Luka Garza. At times, he felt a step slow. Not fully in tempo with Boston's game plan on either side of the ball.
One preseason game is nowhere near enough to make a real judgment. Just like it's not enough to declare Tatum the King of the NBA. But still, it's something to take note of. Robinson put up six points and grabbed five rebounds.
Up: Celtics defense
This defense is going to be elite. Obviously, the 76ers were missing a ton of players. A ton of players. Let's see how Boston stacks up against the likes of Brown and James before making any crazy statements.
That said, it's clear Boston is going to lean into the defensive playmaking this year. George led the way on Saturday night. If he was on the floor, a 76ers turnover was looming.
In the second quarter, the combination of Sam Hauser and George wreaked havoc on Philadelphia's lineups. They were sprinting around on defense, forcing the Sixers to scramble, and that led to turnovers.
Boston is going to force a lot of turnovers this year. George, Robinson, and Boston's young wing group are going to be tough for opposing offenses to deal with. George ended the night with five steals, and Baylor Scheierman nabbed five of his own.
Down: