Boston Celtics stars explain subtle wardrobe change in Hornets victory (2025)

BOSTON — Loyal and observational Celtics fans, the longer they watched the win over the Hornets, could tell something was amiss Friday. Both Jayson Tatum and Derrick White looked off when it came to their accessories.

Turns out, the two switched their look for Friday’s game. Tatum wore long tights, just like White normally does. On the flip side, White wore an armband on his left arm and he wore tights that didn’t go all the way down the left leg. Here’s a look at the two. Tatum revealed the idea came to them from a trainer earlier Friday.

“Since we probably won’t play next game, he said at shootaround this morning, he’s like we should do a headband game,” Tatum said. “Somebody, one of the trainers may have mentioned, if D-White dressed like me during the game. So it was kind of like their idea, and I just agreed to it and ran with it.”

Tatum and White have had their headband games occasionally throughout the season. The pact is simple: If one of them feels whimsical and wants to wear a headband, the other must follow suit. But for their season finale — since they likely won’t play in Sunday’s game — they decided to shake it up.

The Celtics dominated the Hornets to get to 60-21 on the season. The starters, minus Jaylen Brown, got a final tune-up this regular season. They played through three quarters before making way for the bench, putting a wrap on another successful regular season. They still have Sunday’s game against the Hornets left, but that’ll likely be a game featuring a lot of bench players.

Afterwards, the Celtics will get a week off before starting the NBA Playoffs next weekend. Their first-round opponent isn’t set yet as the No. 2 seed, awaiting the results of the play-in tournament. Either the No. 7 Magic or No. 8 Hawks will be their foe as those teams play Tuesday in Orlando to determine who gets the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.

For now, the Celtics get to rest up and focus on the playoffs. They endured some trials and errors during the regular season, but they still dominated on their way to another 60-win season.

“There’s been some tough moments or whatever it may be, but with one game left in the season, I can say that everybody has felt valued, everybody has played a part in our success this season,” Tatum said. “Everybody understands the common goal that we share. We know who we are. We know who we are individually. We know what we bring to this team to make it what it is. And we have so much fun doing what we do. You realize when you’re on special teams and you’re with special guys, you just try to cherish those moments. The season goes by fast but it’s been fun so far.”