[ad_1]
It wasn’t precisely Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo, however in a Summer season League rematch of the Japanese Convention Finals, the Celtics gave up (one other) fourth quarter run to the Warmth and misplaced 99-88 in Boston’s first motion of the 2023 Vegas Summer League.
Recreation 9 to be decided at a later date.
All eyes have been on Boston’s final two consecutive second spherical picks, J.D. Davison and this yr’s thirty eighth decide, Jordan Walsh.
J.D. Davison led the Summer season League in assists final July and averaged 13.2 factors, 4.5 rebounds, and seven.7 assists in 26 video games in Maine. Sporting an even bigger body this yr, Davison appeared to once more command the Celtics in Sin Metropolis and hopefully, safe a roster spot with the large membership for subsequent fall after spending final season on a two-way contract.
Davison racked up 5 turnovers, however completed with 14 factors and 11 assists with a powerful run down the stretch. Miami’s aggressive protection usually doubled and trapped him above the break, attempting to stop him from utilizing his pace as a weapon. He hit simply 5 of his 14 pictures, however stayed efficient penetrating the center of the ground and getting out in transition.
Walsh hit his first 4 threes of the sport and completed with a team-high 18 factors. After signing a four-year, $7.6 million contract this week, he’s set to be a attainable 3&D possibility off the bench for head coach Joe Mazzulla at solely 19-years-old.
“When he got here for his second draft exercise, we did 100 spot 3’s, he was within the 50’s in Could and 74 in late June,” Brad Stevens said. “In order that reveals you there’s work being put in. It reveals you he’s acquired the contact to be a superb shooter.”
His protection was as marketed — an extended, athletic perimeter disruptor with an energetic motor. He had 5 fouls to go together with two steals and a block.
“For me at this level, it’s about enjoying my function to the most effective means I can. I do know that my purpose is play with the blokes on the sideline like Jayson Tatum. I gotta make open pictures and do the soiled work and that’s what I’m making ready for,” Walsh told NBATV’s Chris Haynes.
Justin Champagnie, who’s enjoying on a non-guaranteed contract after being added to the roster in April, struggled in his thirty minutes, making simply 3-of-13 from the sector and completed a -19 as a SL starter.
Jay Scrubb, who averaged 22.3 factors per sport for Orlando’s G-League workforce, had 17 factors. Justin Bean chipped in 13 and Olek Balcerowski had 8 and 5 within the loss.
In fact, take all the pieces with a grain of salt. That is one sport — the primary sport — on a Saturday afternoon of Summer season League. First spherical draft picks try to indicate out. Others are preventing for end-of-the-bench spots and two-way contracts. Competitors and workforce play might be skewed to these particular person motivations.
Nonetheless, we did get our first have a look at what could possibly be a part of the close to and long-term way forward for the Celtics. With departures of Marcus Good, Grant Williams, and to a lesser extent, Danilo Gallinari, Boston is searching for gamers to fill out their common season rotation with clear wants on the wing and guard positions.
[ad_2]
Source link