Joe Mazzulla's Lineup Secrecy Fails as Celtics Reveal Starting Five Against Bulls

Joe Mazzulla tried to play the mysterious head coach routine, but the secret is officially out. The Boston Celtics are rolling out a fascinating starting five for Monday night's matchup against the Chicago Bulls.

According to Underdog NBA, Boston will start Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Robinson.

"Joe Mazzulla previously said 'Uh, no' when asked to reveal the starting lineup."

Mazzulla literally told reporters "Uh, no" when asked for this exact information a few days ago. Treating a late-October starting lineup against the 1-2 Bulls like it contains the nuclear launch codes is peak NBA theater. It is the kind of unnecessary secrecy that makes you wonder if the coach thinks he is heading into Game 7 of the Finals instead of a Monday night league pass game.

But the actual group on the floor is worth paying attention to, especially if you are scanning the prop markets. Paul George is already carrying a massive offensive load, averaging 26.5 points per game in his new Boston threads. Jayson Tatum has shifted into a heavy facilitator role, dishing out nine assists a night to go with 6.5 boards.

Then you have Jordan Walsh sliding into the starting unit. Walsh is only logging 17 minutes a game so far this season, making him the ultimate wild card. Throw in Derrick White, who just dropped 12 points and six assists against the New York Knicks, and you have a lineup with a ton of variance.

Boston is sitting at 1-1 after a weird opening week that included a 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons. They need to find some early-season rhythm, and this specific five-man combination only saw the floor twice during the entire preseason.

We will see if this group can click immediately when the ball tips off at 7:30 PM ET. If they come out flat against Chicago, expect Mazzulla to shuffle the deck again before Tuesday's back-to-back against the Brooklyn Nets.