NBA Starting 5 2026–27: Four Teams. Twenty Players. A Different East.
Jayson Tatum now shares Boston’s spotlight with Paul George. Kawhi Leonard has returned to Toronto. Julius Randle is wearing Brooklyn black. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are guiding Cleveland. The first week of basketball reveals what those new lineups actually look like.
THE EASTERN CONFERENCE — The opening week of the 2026–27 NBA season has introduced an unusually dramatic collection of starting lineups. Familiar stars have changed uniforms, former championship players have returned to old cities, and teams that once looked predictable have assembled new combinations.
That movement is exactly why the five-player lineup image remains one of basketball’s most effective visual formats. A single graphic can capture an entire roster transition, placing every player side by side before the season has decided which combinations will succeed.
Four teams illustrate the story particularly well: the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The players listed below are based on actual early-season starting lineups, not predictions of who will start every game. Injuries, matchups and rotation decisions can change those combinations throughout the year.
Boston Celtics: Tatum and Paul George Begin a New Partnership
The Celtics have replaced the familiar Tatum–Brown pairing with an entirely different supporting cast, giving Boston a new identity built around Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Derrick White.
BOSTON — The Celtics opened their 2026–27 season against Detroit on October 20 with a lineup that would have looked almost unimaginable a year earlier. Jaylen Brown was no longer in Boston, Paul George had arrived, and Mitchell Robinson was anchoring the middle.
Boston lost its opener 121–113 to the Pistons, then returned home on October 23 and defeated the New York Knicks 107–103. The Celtics used the same starting five in both games, allowing fans an early look at how their newly assembled lineup might function.
What the New Five Changes
Tatum remains the central figure, but George adds a different scoring profile beside him. A longtime elite wing, George can create his own shot and relieve some of the pressure that Boston’s offensive centerpiece has often carried.
White provides perimeter organization and two-way stability. Walsh brings length and developmental upside on the wing, while Robinson offers rebounding and interior defense.
The absence of Brown is historically significant for Boston. Years of Celtics basketball were organized around the Tatum–Brown partnership, and its ending changes the visual identity of the team almost as dramatically as its offensive structure.
Boston’s green remains familiar. The five players standing inside it tell a different story.
Five Players as a Retro Basketball Illustration
The Boston Celtics Starting 5 Cartoon Shirt transforms the new lineup into an illustrated team portrait.
The familiar green palette and five-figure arrangement recall old collectible basketball posters, allowing fans to recognize the team as one coherent group even though the individual careers behind it have followed very different paths.
A green five-player caricature composition capturing the start of Boston’s post-Brown chapter.
View the Boston lineup graphic →For more context around the players shaping this transition, explore Jayson Tatum and Paul George through internal search. The Boston Celtics collection provides a broader visual archive of the franchise’s changing eras.
White, Walsh, George, Tatum and Robinson started Boston’s October 20 and October 23 games. Source: 2026–27 Celtics Starting Lineups.
Toronto Raptors: Kawhi Leonard Is Back, but This Is Scottie Barnes’ Team
Seven years after Toronto’s first championship, Kawhi Leonard has returned to the Raptors. The 2026–27 starting five pairs that historic homecoming with the current identity built around Scottie Barnes.
TORONTO — One of the most emotional images of the NBA preseason arrived October 13, when Kawhi Leonard stepped onto the court wearing Raptors colors again. It was his first appearance for Toronto since the 2019 championship season.
The crowd gave him a standing ovation. He responded by scoring 21 points in just 17 minutes as the Raptors defeated the New York Knicks 148–98 in a preseason game.
Toronto carried that energy into the regular season. On October 21, the Raptors overwhelmed Chicago 135–92. Two days later, they beat Washington 112–102, opening 2–0 with a consistent starting unit.
Why Leonard’s Return Is Bigger Than a Normal Free-Agent Move
Leonard’s history in Toronto occupies an unusually important place in Canadian sports culture. His spectacular four-bounce winner against Philadelphia in the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals became one of the league’s defining playoff moments.
Weeks later, Toronto won its first NBA championship. Leonard was named Finals MVP, leaving behind a legacy that survived even after he departed for Los Angeles.
His return in 2026 connects that older chapter with a new generation. Barnes is now the franchise’s central long-term figure, with Quickley and Barrett providing perimeter creation and Poeltl anchoring the interior.
Toronto isn’t trying to recreate 2019. It is bringing one of that year’s most important figures into a completely different Raptors future.
Why the Raptors Starting 5 Cartoon Has Nostalgic Power
The Toronto Raptors Starting 5 Shirt uses a five-player cartoon arrangement to place Leonard alongside the generation that has carried the team since his departure.
The red, black and white color palette makes the composition immediately recognizable as Toronto. The five-person layout reinforces the unusual blend of nostalgia and new opportunity.
A red-and-black basketball illustration celebrating the reunion of Leonard and Toronto’s new generation.
Explore the Raptors lineup →Toronto’s wider Raptors collection connects the franchise’s championship memories with contemporary player culture. Fans can also explore Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes directly.
Quickley, Barrett, Leonard, Barnes and Poeltl started Toronto’s first two regular-season games. Source: 2026–27 Raptors Starting Lineups.
Brooklyn Nets: Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr. and the New Blackout Five
Brooklyn’s opening lineup pairs established scorers with young guards. The Nets are still searching for wins, but the 2026–27 roster offers an intriguing collection of new roles and possibilities.
BROOKLYN — The Nets entered the 2026–27 season with a dramatically changed identity. Julius Randle arrived from Minnesota during the summer, adding a powerful scoring and rebounding presence next to Michael Porter Jr.
Coach Jordi Fernández selected Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Porter, Randle and Day’Ron Sharpe to open the season against Charlotte on October 21. The same group started in Cleveland on October 24.
The results exposed how much work remains. Brooklyn fell 110–103 to Charlotte, then lost 125–121 to Cleveland despite a determined fourth-quarter comeback.
Two Proven Scorers, a Young Backcourt and a Different Direction
Randle’s return to New York carries a particularly interesting narrative. He previously played for the Knicks, earning All-Star recognition during a period when the franchise was rebuilding its competitive identity.
Across the East River, his new assignment is different. Brooklyn needs his physical scoring and playmaking to support a younger roster still developing NBA consistency.
Porter provides outside shooting and size. Dëmin brings youth and court vision, Ellis offers perimeter defensive ability, and Sharpe supplies a physical interior presence.
Against Cleveland, Porter scored 28 points, Randle had 23 and Dëmin contributed 22, including 15 in the fourth quarter. The Nets lost, but their late push revealed how dangerous the offense could look in short stretches.
Brooklyn’s new starting five has recognizable talent. The challenge is turning that talent into an identity that lasts all four quarters.
The Reality Check Against Indiana
On October 25, Brooklyn suffered a 136–109 home loss to the Indiana Pacers. The team dropped to 0–3, and its three leading scorers against Cleveland had a much quieter evening.
That contrast is part of the story of a team trying to establish its rotation. The Nets have promising pieces, but the opening results make clear that integrating established veterans with a developing core will take time.
A Monochrome Lineup for Brooklyn Basketball
The Brooklyn Nets Starting 5 Shirt uses a blackout cartoon treatment that reflects the franchise’s distinctive black-and-white visual identity.
The absence of vibrant team colors becomes the stylistic advantage. Player silhouettes, faces and uniform details carry the storytelling while the restrained palette gives the graphic an urban, collectible quality.
A monochrome basketball graphic documenting Brooklyn’s reconfigured lineup and the franchise’s distinctive visual language.
View the Brooklyn lineup →The opening-night lineup and Randle’s 33-point Nets debut were reported by SNY. The NBA’s 2026–27 Brooklyn season preview provides additional background on the Randle–Porter pairing.
Explore the Brooklyn Nets collection and internal searches for Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Dëmin.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Harden and Mitchell Give the Starting Five Its Star Power
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell headline a Cleveland lineup that also features Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson. The Cavaliers’ new season opens with familiar ambition and fresh questions about execution.
CLEVELAND — Of the four starting groups featured here, Cleveland’s lineup may offer the clearest combination of established guards and powerful interior players.
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell share the backcourt. Peyton Watson provides wing length, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen protect the paint and create scoring opportunities inside.
Cleveland opened the season with a 114–106 defeat at Philadelphia on October 22. Two days later, the Cavaliers returned home and defeated Brooklyn 125–121, surviving a late Nets rally for their first victory of 2026–27.
Why Harden and Mitchell Create Such an Interesting Backcourt
Both guards are accustomed to carrying significant offensive responsibility. Harden is known for his ability to organize possessions and create shots for teammates, while Mitchell combines explosive scoring with the capacity to produce under postseason pressure.
The partnership asks Cleveland to balance two elite offensive identities without sacrificing ball movement or defensive consistency.
Behind them, Mobley and Allen give the Cavaliers unusual interior size and versatility. Watson adds athleticism on the wing, providing another defensive option against the East’s perimeter scorers.
The early games show both promise and vulnerability. Mitchell scored 32 in the loss to Philadelphia, then led Cleveland with 22 against Brooklyn. Mobley added 20 points and ten rebounds in the Nets victory, while Allen contributed 21.
Harden can control the tempo. Mitchell can change it in a moment. Cleveland’s season may depend on how well those two instincts fit together.
The Cavaliers Survive Brooklyn’s Late Rally
On October 24, Cleveland appeared firmly in control of its home opener before the Nets mounted a late comeback.
Brooklyn reduced the gap to just two points in the closing seconds, but Sam Merrill converted two free throws to seal the 125–121 victory.
The game reflected an important early-season theme: Cleveland has enough offensive talent to build substantial leads, but maintaining defensive consistency remains essential.
Wine, Gold and the Starting Five Cartoon Format
The Cleveland Cavaliers Starting 5 Shirt places the Harden–Mitchell partnership inside a group illustration that also recognizes the strength of Cleveland’s frontcourt.
Wine-and-gold colors connect the image with Cleveland’s visual heritage, while the cartoon format gives each player enough individual identity to remain recognizable inside the collective composition.
A wine-and-gold five-player illustration built around Harden, Mitchell and Cleveland’s formidable interior rotation.
Explore the Cleveland lineup →Cleveland’s 125–121 home victory over Brooklyn on October 24 was documented by the Associated Press. The reported result, player scoring and comeback sequence provide context for the lineup’s first week.
The Cleveland Cavaliers collection follows this team across player graphics and franchise moments. Fans can also explore James Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley through internal searches.
What These Four Starting Fives Reveal About the New Eastern Conference
Each team represents a different response to the same competitive challenge.
Boston has reconfigured an established contender around Jayson Tatum and Paul George. Toronto has brought Kawhi Leonard back to a franchise now led by Scottie Barnes. Brooklyn is combining veteran scoring with younger players still finding their NBA roles. Cleveland is pursuing continuity and contention through the Harden–Mitchell partnership.
The first week cannot tell us which team will finish strongest. It can, however, document a precise moment in the league’s evolution.
That is what makes starting-five artwork unusually effective: rosters eventually change, but a five-player group image preserves the look of a team at one specific point in time.
Across the wider NBA collection, designs like these form a visual archive of changing players, franchises, and fan identities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Boston Celtics starting five in 2026–27?
Boston started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum and Mitchell Robinson in its first two games of the 2026–27 regular season.
Did Kawhi Leonard return to the Toronto Raptors in 2026?
Yes. Leonard returned to Toronto and started the opening regular-season games alongside Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl.
Who started for Brooklyn Nets on opening night 2026?
Brooklyn started Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle and Day’Ron Sharpe against Charlotte on October 21.
Who is in the Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup for 2026–27?
Cleveland’s opening lineup included James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Are starting fives permanent throughout the NBA season?
No. A team’s starting lineup can change because of injuries, coaching decisions, trades, rest and opponent matchups. The lineups above describe confirmed early-season games, not guaranteed starters for the entire season.
What do the Starting 5 cartoon shirt designs represent?
Each design captures a particular NBA team’s five-player lineup through stylized sports illustrations, serving as a visual record of the team’s 2026–27 roster identity.
The NBA Starting 5 2026–27 collection features cartoon lineup designs for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers. From Kawhi Leonard’s Toronto return and the Tatum–George era to Brooklyn’s new roster and Cleveland’s Harden–Mitchell partnership, each graphic captures a distinct moment in Eastern Conference basketball.