In any case three 2025 draft picks performed over 20 minutes of their Summer time League debuts, Celtics Summer time League head coach Matt Reynolds instilled loads 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 choices 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 slightly little bit of all the pieces the younger wing has to supply.
“Hugo and the entire crew had been simply pressuring relentlessly the entire sport,” Reynolds mentioned. “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 a right away Grizzlies turnover.
González had his struggles ending across the rim, taking pictures 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 pictures accessible to him, even when the sport’s tempo was slightly unfamiliar to him.
“It was laborious to meet up with the tempo,” González mentioned. “In Europe, the sport is loads of instances slightly bit slower and also you’re attempting to have the possession till the tip. Right here, should you’ve obtained a shot, you’ve obtained to take it in order that’s really making the sport actually up and down. You’ve obtained to meet up with that if you wish to play so I’m simply attempting to adapt.
“I’m fairly fortunate that I’ve obtained a employees that’s pushing me proper now to get higher and to carry out actually good. They’re giving me confidence to shoot each time I’m open or each time I feel that I’m in a very good state of affairs, so I feel that’s the primary factor.”
That encouragement prolonged to his struggles as nicely, 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, allotting 5 assists, initiating offense via 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 introduced a gradual hand as one of many crew’s few conventional lead guards. Regardless of Memphis’ intense ball strain, Shulga was not often bothered working 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 simple dunk for the Kentucky massive man.
Shulga tried simply 4 pictures, however two showcased the craftiness of the VCU product. Halfway via the third quarter, Shulga wrapped round a Williams display, 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 one more bucket via the whistle.
“I belief him rather a lot,” Reynolds mentioned of Shulga. “I feel he does all the pieces fairly nicely, he’s very strong, you already know what you’re getting with him, and I feel he’s solely going to enhance because the course of Summer time League and the remainder of his profession strikes on.”
Williams additionally did slightly little bit of all the pieces in his first Celtics look, scoring on all three of his shot makes an attempt with 3-of-4 taking pictures from the road (9 factors) and two blocks. Williams, already often known as a playmaking hub, served up a gorgeous skip move help on a Miles Norris 3-pointer late within the first quarter.
Williams was challenged down within the paint, largely dealing with off in opposition to 6-foot-11, 240-pound middle Armando Bacot, who completed 7-of-13 from the sphere for 14 factors to go together with six rebounds. Bacot was capable of muscle his well beyond Williams on a couple of events, however Williams was capable of get one robust post-up on the block in opposition to 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 strong observe for the Summer time League Celtics, who play their second sport of the weekend on Sunday in opposition to the Knicks.
