In any case three 2025 draft picks performed over 20 minutes of their Summer season League debuts, Celtics Summer season League head coach Matt Reynolds instilled a whole lot of belief within the trio, who every performed an element in a 92-78 win over the Memphis Grizzlies Friday afternoon.
First spherical choose Hugo González performed a team-high 28 minutes, whereas second spherical alternatives Max Shulga and Amari Williams every made 21-minute beginning appearances.
Experimenting with a sooner tempo and excessive pick-up factors on the defensive finish, the Celtics introduced an electrical energy to Cox Pavilion in UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Middle, beginning with a primary impression from González that showcased just a little little bit of all the things the younger wing has to supply.
“Hugo and the entire crew had been simply pressuring relentlessly the entire sport,” Reynolds stated. “That was a wonderful tone that he and our backcourt set all through the course of the sport.”
Proper off the bat, González made his presence felt, crashing the glass on Boston’s opening possession and ending on a putback whereas racing again down the ground to leap in entrance of a baseline reduce for an instantaneous Grizzlies turnover.
González had his struggles ending across the rim, capturing 1-of-7 on makes an attempt contained in the arc, however his confidence from the 3-point line was a promising indicator of a younger expertise being emboldened to take the open photographs out there to him, even when the sport’s tempo was just a little unfamiliar to him.
“It was laborious to meet up with the tempo,” González stated. “In Europe, the sport is a whole lot of instances just a little bit slower and also you’re attempting to have the possession till the top. Right here, when you’ve acquired a shot, you’ve acquired to take it in order that’s really making the sport actually up and down. You’ve acquired to meet up with that if you wish to play so I’m simply attempting to adapt.
“I’m fairly fortunate that I’ve acquired a workers that’s pushing me proper now to get higher and to carry out actually good. They’re giving me confidence to shoot every time I’m open or every time I believe that I’m in scenario, so I believe that’s the primary factor.”
That encouragement prolonged to his struggles as properly, together with an occasion the place González missed three consecutive free throws late within the opening quarter, prompting Reynolds to yell from the sidelines for the rookie to maintain his head up.
Outdoors of his 12 factors, González left his fingerprints everywhere in the sport, dispensing 5 assists, initiating offense by means of the pick-and-roll, and battling on the defensive finish as a screen-navigating, ball-hounding menace that had two blocks, one steal and two deflections.
In 21 minutes, Shulga offered a gentle hand as one of many crew’s few conventional lead guards. Regardless of Memphis’ intense ball strain, Shulga was hardly ever bothered operating the purpose, ending the sport with a clear sheet of zero turnovers, three assists and 5 factors. A kind of assists got here off the efforts of a unbelievable defensive sequence the place Shulga closed off a driving lane, deflected a move and handed the ball backwards and forwards with Williams to arrange a straightforward dunk for the Kentucky large man.
Shulga tried simply 4 photographs, however two showcased the craftiness of the VCU product. Halfway by means of the third quarter, Shulga wrapped round a Williams display screen, stopped on a dime, and took the bump as he uncorked a deep shot that banked in with the foul. Early within the fourth, he dashed down the ground on a fastbreak, took extra contact and flicked up a left-handed end for an additional bucket by means of the whistle.
“I belief him lots,” Reynolds stated of Shulga. “I believe he does all the things fairly properly, he’s very stable, you understand what you’re getting with him, and I believe he’s solely going to enhance because the course of Summer season League and the remainder of his profession strikes on.”
Williams additionally did just a little little bit of all the things in his first Celtics look, scoring on all three of his shot makes an attempt with 3-of-4 capturing from the road (9 factors) and two blocks. Williams, already often called a playmaking hub, served up a wonderful skip move help on a Miles Norris 3-pointer late within the first quarter.
Williams was challenged down within the paint, principally going through off towards 6-foot-11, 240-pound middle Armando Bacot, who completed 7-of-13 from the sector for 14 factors to go along with six rebounds. Bacot was in a position to muscle his well past Williams on a number of events, however Williams was in a position to get one sturdy post-up on the block towards Bacot that he completed with a left-handed turnaround hook shot.
So far as first impressions go, all three draft picks discovered methods to influence the sport, beginning issues off on a stable be aware for the Summer season League Celtics, who play their second sport of the weekend on Sunday towards the Knicks.
