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The Boston Celtics traveled to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies in Game #1 of the 2025-26 NBA preseason. With a cast of new faces, Boston’s new era started out strong, as they outworked and outplayed the hometown Grizz to prevail 121-101. Jaylen Brown had 21 points in just 20 minutes on the night and sat the entire second half, Derrick White had 16 points and 10 assists in the starting point guard position.
The new look Celtics opened the game with a starting five of Brown, White, Hauser, Boucher, and Tillman. Neemias Queta was not available for the clash in Memphis, following his national team commitments for Portugal at the EuroCup tournament. Pritchard and Simons would also be rested for this preseason opener. Memphis would start the game with Small, Wells, Aldama, rookie Coward, and big man Lovering. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey, Jock Landale, and Brandon Clarke would not be available for the home team due to various ailments.
Derrick White scored the first points of the game for Boston and immediately picked up the defensive assignment with full-court pressure on the ball. Brown took on Wells and converted on his first field goal attempt, before back-to-back triples from White and Hauser as Boston took an early 10-9 lead. Brown hit on a long-range three as Wells sagged off, Boston shooting the ball well early on, going 3-4 from three.
Garza and Walsh would be the first Celtics off the bench for Coach Mazzulla as Boucher and Tillman got an early rest. Garza wasted no time getting in on the action, chasing down a long rebound and dishing to White, who then skipped a pass to Hauser for his second three-pointer of the game. Brown was cooking early with 11 first-quarter points after just six minutes, as Boston’s pace was very fast to start the game.
Jordan Walsh scored a quick break dunk on his initial shot attempt, extending Boston’s first quarter lead to 9 points, 27-18. Minott and Scheierman entered the game late in the first quarter, and Minott had an instant impact as he soared from the wing to dunk in his first points as a Celtic, timing a corner crash perfectly on a three-point shot attempt. A few plays later, Josh Minott drove and connected on a nifty layup as Boston went up 35-22. Boston ended the quarter shooting a blistering 55% from the field at the FedEx Forum.
Scheierman got going to start the second quarter, nailing a very deep three-pointer on his first shot attempt. Spanish rookie Hugo Gonzalez started the second quarter for Boston and had a nasty block on fellow rookie Coward. In what was a very entertaining stretch, Minott, Gonzalez, Scheierman, Boucher, and White lifted the pace, managing to turn over the Grizz and get multiple stops and go up by 20 points.
Jaylen Brown returned to the game at the seven-minute mark of the quarter and immediately hit on a mid-range jumper. Hugo Gonzalez drained his first three-pointer of the night after Sam Hauser drove and dished to the rook. Sammy Hauser swished his third three of the night, a quick catch and shoot, as Derrick White inbounded for his seventh assist of the night. White’s eighth assist on the night came as he found Minott, who was wide open under the basket for a reverse dunk.
Boston was rolling to end the second quarter, as Minott and Tillman combined for a slick alley-oop play, the former Grizzlie skied for a one-handed dunk. Jaylen Brown headed to the change rooms at the half with 21 points, and Hauser and White had 9 points each, as Boston took at 68-45 lead.
Minott continued his good hustle play to start the third quarter, nabbing a fourth offensive board on the night, showing fans some good early signs. Chris Boucher picked up his play in the second half and converted on consecutive field goals for Boston. Memphis was pretty rusty on the night and registered back-to-back offensive fouls in the act of setting screens. Derrick White would be subbed out at the six-minute mark of the second, an early night for Boston, sitting with 16 points and 10 assists, joining Jaylen Brown on the bench for the remainder of the game.
At the five-minute mark of the third, Hugo Gonzalez stole the ball at half court and drove and dunked home an emphatic one-handed jam. The remaining minutes of the third quarter were all Boston, as the Celtics’ new run-and-gun style was on full display. Ron Harper Jr. saw some time from the bench in the third as he was part of a lineup that included Gonzalez, Boucher, Scheierman, and Garza. Ron Harper Jr. hit his first three-pointer of the night as the third quarter expired, with Boston up 99-72 heading into the fourth.
Eleven players scored for Boston after three quarters as the Celtics coaching staff got extended looks at different lineups. Gonzalez had a beautiful chase down block on Javon Small to start the fourth quarter, but the rookie is still adjusting to the pace of the NBA, as he also recorded his third turnover of the game.
With around 8 minutes to go in the game, Coach Mazzulla had both Bridges and Harper Jr. in the game. Rookie Amari Williams and Kendall Brown also saw the final 5 minutes of action on the road for Boston. Memphis did go on a small scoring run to reduce the Boston lead, but this game wasn’t close all night. Boston’s final pick in the 2025 draft, guard Max Shulga also entered the game with two minutes remaining, he joined RJ Luiz Jr. in the lineup to close things out.
Boston next face the Toronto Raptors on the road on Friday night before heading home for a two-game home stand. Boston’s first regular season game is on October 22nd against the Philadelphia 76ers.
