The Celtics took down the New York Knicks 94-81 on Sunday to enhance to 2-0 on the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer time League.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from the win, which featured robust showings from a latest Boston draftee and an rising massive man:
1. Hugo Gonzalez sits
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the Celtics’ first-round choose.
Gonzalez was drafted hours after finishing his Spanish league season with Actual Madrid, then went straight into Summer time League apply together with his new NBA membership. The 19-year-old confirmed off his famend motor in Boston’s Vegas opener in opposition to Memphis (12 factors, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, two blocks, one steal in 28 minutes), however he was understandably “gassed” by the top of the sport, in response to Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
The Celtics gave Gonzalez a breather on Sunday, sitting him for the matchup with New York. He watched from the bench in avenue garments.
“We’ll do a few of that with him,” Stevens told reporters on Saturday. “As a result of typically with a 19-year-old, you simply throw him to the wolves and let it fly, however coming from Madrid and simply ending (his season) is rather a lot to ask.”
Anticipate to see Boston’s youngest participant again in motion Monday evening in opposition to Miami, however the Celtics will proceed to handle Gonzalez’s workload to keep away from overburdening him.
Miles Norris, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics late final season, additionally sat out in opposition to the Knicks. Boston began Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, second-round draft picks Max Shulga and Amari Williams, and Jalen Bridges, who appeared in eight video games for Phoenix as an undrafted rookie final season. Bridges had 15 factors, 5 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 23 minutes.
2. Baylor Scheierman bounces again
The Celtics’ first Summer time League outing was one to neglect for Scheierman, who went an unpleasant 2-for-14 from the sphere and 1-for-5 from three.
Boston’s 2024 first-round choose didn’t shoot the ball particularly effectively Sunday evening, both (6-for-15; 1-for-7), however he delivered a formidable all-around efficiency, ending with 13 factors, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two turnovers in 27 minutes.
Scheierman’s passing was on level — particularly on his two long-range lobs to Walsh and the no-look feed to Bridges that led to a nook three — and he added to his rising reel of circus photographs by sinking a high-arcing, off-the-glass hook shot together with his weak proper hand as Boston put the sport away within the fourth quarter. He was a team-best plus-24.
After struggling final summer time, Scheierman improved considerably over the course of his rookie 12 months and is certainly one of a number of Celtics reserves eyeing bigger roles in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s revamped rotation.
“He performed rather well on the finish of (final) common season,” Stevens mentioned in an interview on ESPN’s sport broadcast. “The most important problem then as you now stack one other Summer time League on prime of that is, don’t attempt to do an excessive amount of. Don’t attempt to be someone that you just’re not, and simply do what you’d do throughout the confines of our crew after we all get again collectively in September.”
3. Charles Bassey impresses once more
It’s early, and the standard of competitors has not been excessive, however Bassey appears to be like like somebody who might compete for a task in Boston’s talent-starved frontcourt.
Two days after notching 14 factors and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes in opposition to the Grizzlies, the 24-year-old turned in one other double-double in opposition to the Knicks, racking up 22 factors and 13 boards in 22 minutes of ground time. He grabbed 4 offensive rebounds, blocked three photographs, grabbed two steals, shot 8-for-12 from the sphere and made all six of his free throws.
Bassey is extra skilled than your typical Summer time Leaguer, having made 113 NBA appearances over his 4 seasons with Philadelphia and San Antonio, and it’s by no means sensible to place an excessive amount of inventory in stats from this event.
That mentioned, the 6-foot-10 heart — who arrived days earlier than Summer time League tipped off — has appeared like a legit NBA participant in his first two video games as a Celtic. And with Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, Luka Garza and Williams (two factors, three rebounds, two assists on Sunday) as the one choices on Boston’s present frontcourt depth chart, Bassey is making a powerful case for a coaching camp invite, on the very least.
4. Foul bother for Jordan Walsh
Whistle. Whistle. Whistle. Whistle. Whistle. That’s how one first-half shift sounded for the longest-tenured Celtic on this summer time squad.
Throughout one 4:03 stretch between the primary and second quarters, Walsh was referred to as for 5 fouls, together with three in 18 seconds. He dedicated two extra after halftime to complete with seven in 25 minutes.
Thankfully for the third-year professional, gamers are allowed 10 fouls in Summer time League video games moderately than the standard six, so Walsh’s slew of violations didn’t restrict his enjoying time. And he drew almost as many, leading to almost twice as many journeys to the foul line (11) as any of his Celtics teammates. Eight of Walsh’s 13 factors got here on free throws.
The remainder of his stat line was not particularly spectacular: 2-for-10, 1-for-6 from three, 4 rebounds, two assists, one steal, two turnovers. It was a step again after he scored 17 on 6-of-12 taking pictures on Friday.
This can be a essential offseason for Walsh, who was unable to earn common enjoying time in both of his first two NBA campaigns.
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