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LAS VEGAS — The Boston Celtics obtained again within the win column on Monday night time, taking down the Los Angeles Lakers within the premiere showcase of the night. Bronny James drew oohs and ahhs from the group, however Boston obtained the job carried out, incomes an 88-74 victory.
Neemias Queta was the main scorer of the night, pouring in 22 factors and grabbing eight rebounds. Jahmi’s Ramsey had 13 factors off the pine, and Drew Peterson additionally chipped in with 12 factors, 5 rebounds, and three assists.
1. Neemias Queta is again on observe
After a comparatively lackluster Summer time League debut, Queta confirmed why the Celtics invested a three-year contract into him on Monday night. The Portuguese behemoth was by far the perfect huge man on the ground, and the Lakers had no reply for him, as evidenced by his 9 free-throw makes an attempt (of which he made eight).
The very best signal of enchancment from his first sport was defensive confidence. Towards the Miami Warmth, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Isaiah Stevens, and others would glide by defenders, however relatively than assist over within the paint, Queta hesitated. On Monday, there was no hesitation. Queta made his presence identified, and his three blocks had been proof of that.
Queta has additionally been challenged with defending on the perimeter extra, because the teaching workers are trying to organize him for potential actual minutes in Boston subsequent season.
“Guys need me to get on the market and simply be efficient [and] impactful defensively within the paint,” Queta stated. “And much more on the perimeter, too. They’re getting me to modify much more on the perimeter, keep in entrance of guards.
“So, that’s additionally one of many issues I wished to work on coming into Summer time League, and undoubtedly staying out of foul bother. And we’re on the correct path.”
2. Jaden Springer’s odd night time off
Within the Celtics’ first Summer time League sport, Jaden Springer was the perfect participant on the ground. However he didn’t even get onto the ground in opposition to the Lakers. As an alternative, he might be seen on the bench in road garments.
Springer was carrying related apparel for the Celtics’ earlier apply session, too, however head coach DJ MacLeay wouldn’t give a straight reply as to his standing for the remainder of Summer time League.
“He performed nice in Sport 1. And he’s gonna be out right here with us for an additional couple of days,” stated MacLeay. “So, we don’t actually have any info apart from that proper now.
Nor would MacLeay reveal whether or not or not the Celtics guard is injured.
“Nope, we don’t assume so,” MacLeay stated when requested if Springer is damage.
3. Jordan Walsh’s bounce-back
Jordan Walsh could have had the worst sport of his skilled profession on Saturday. However he made up for it in opposition to the Lakers.
At apply, Walsh spoke a couple of message Sam Cassell gave him, noting that he received’t be judged primarily based on his shot-making however relatively his protection. That’s was Walsh targeted on in his follow-up efficiency.
The teenager nonetheless didn’t make a 3, capturing 0-of-5, however his defensive presence shined by means of. He nabbed three steals and picked up a block as properly, as his physique language regarded infinitely higher than it did in opposition to Miami.
“I feel, basically, he was simply enjoying inside himself,” MacLeay stated of Walsh. “Like, he had a greater manner about him as we speak. He was dedicated on the defensive finish, which I feel is the place he’s going to be at his greatest.
“And I actually have given him a whole lot of credit score. He type of embraced a failure of the opposite night time, and he simply took it on the chin, and performed a lot, a lot better. Performed far more inside himself, and far more just like the man we all know and he’s been for the final couple of months.”
Seeing some threes go down would nonetheless go a great distance for Walsh and his potential place in Boston’s rotation, however this was a large step in the correct path.
4. Drew Peterson finds one thing
It’s been a bizarre couple of video games for Drew Peterson up to now. The 24-year-old joined the Celtics for the latter portion of final season, and he regarded nice in Maine.
Towards the Warmth, Peterson’s defensive affect was far superior, and in opposition to the Lakers, his three-point capturing proved to be his greatest asset. The flexibility feeds into the way in which Peterson desires to current himself throughout the group. It’s what he strives to be transferring ahead.
“Simply getting just a little larger. Stuff like that. And like I stated, I’m taking in all the pieces I can from the older guys and doing what I can to compete,” stated Peterson. “Capturing, defensively, I prefer to be a do-it-all man. So, something I can do to assist the crew. Tonight, it occurred to be capturing, and something I can do on the market to assist is my aim.”
5. Baylor Scheierman challenged defensively
An ice-cold capturing night time (1-of-6 from deep) wasn’t sufficient to decelerate Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman. Relatively than hunch his head and draw back from the second, Scheierman allowed his worth to be placed on show in numerous facets of the sport.
His passing has confirmed to be one of the crucial priceless instruments in his belt, and the previous Bluejay’s nostril for offensive rebounds is extraordinarily spectacular as properly.
However maybe the perfect a part of Scheierman’s sport in opposition to the Lakers was his protection. He didn’t arise properly in opposition to Jaquez and the Warmth, however he turned issues round on Monday.
“I feel after the sport the opposite night time, we actually talked about, that simply will not be our normal,” stated MacLeay. “It was a group-wide factor, but it surely was one thing that we talked about with Baylor as properly. And I believed he actually like took on that problem. He took it on the chin, just like Jordan, and he actually was a lot, a lot better tonight.
“I feel it’s a rising and studying course of. The expertise stage is clearly quite a bit increased. I like that he desires these challenges. He’s type of asking for these challenges. He’s making an attempt to develop on his personal. He’s dedicated to that. He’s aggressive. And I feel that you just noticed that.
Scheierman guarded Dalton Knecht, the Lakers first-overall choose, for a lot of the night. In two-straight video games, he’s guarded who might be thought-about the opposing crew’s greatest participant. And whereas the Celtics want to push him defensively, these matchups are one thing the rookie has been asking for.
“It’s one thing that he retains taking up,” MacLeay stated. “It’s one thing that he has actually embraced. So, I feel that it’s some extent of ours to assist him develop. However basically, it’s been his possession of that, greater than actually us.”
6. Jahmi’s Ramsey: Two-way candidate or Tasmanian satan (or each)?
The expertise is obvious with Ramsey. After spending the early a part of his profession with questions surrounding his capturing, he’s slowly placing these narratives to mattress. A profitable capturing 12 months within the G League is being compounded with a formidable Summer time League stroke.
Ramsey started the sport in opposition to the Lakers with some robust turnovers. He was urgent. It regarded as if one other crew got here as much as him and stated, ‘Hey, we’re scouting you tonight,’ and he was making an attempt to placed on a present. However as he settled down, issues moved again into place.
His ball-handling obtained tighter, his shot obtained higher, and his rim assaults had been much more managed. The Tasmanian satan that began the sport on offense slowly was a man the Celtics might take into account discovering a option to preserve round.
7. Anton Watson is solely dependable
Nothing will stand out about Anton Watson on each nights, however that must be taken as an enormous praise. The previous Bulldog is at all times in the correct place on the proper time. He’s at all times hustling for a rebound. He’s at all times mucking issues up down low.
Every part about Watson screams, ‘Lengthy profession as a serviceable back-up heart,’ and that’s superior. He had seven factors and 7 rebounds in opposition to the Lakers, and all of them got here throughout the move of the sport.
8. JD Davison goes quiet
Whereas there have been some flashes of stable play for JD Davison in opposition to the Lakers, this sport wasn’t practically as spectacular as his displaying vs. the Warmth.
Whether or not it was James or one other Lakers defender, Los Angeles did a great job of slowing Davison down on the level of assault. He wasn’t capable of get the identical area he’s used to as a way to get downhill, create area, and make performs for others.
That stated, he nonetheless shot properly from deep, and that’s a very powerful factor to be monitoring heading into his third 12 months on a two-way contract with Boston.
9. The place, oh the place is Tristan Enaruna?
It’s been two Summer time League video games, and the one participant who hasn’t stepped onto the ground for the Celtics is Cleveland State ahead Tristan Enaruna. The Celtics have already signed him to a training-camp contract, so they’re clearly considerably keen on him.
So, that begs the query, why isn’t he getting any run in Summer time League?
10. The others
Jaelen Home earned his first minutes of Summer time League, and he made essentially the most of them. Not solely was he a pest on the defensive finish, however he additionally picked up a tech in simply three minutes on the ground. When the one stat a 6-foot-1 guard produces is a block, it’s at all times enjoyable.
In the meantime, Killian Tillie confirmed some flashes of promise. He began out comparatively scorching from three however cooled down simply as rapidly. Defensively, his presence down low led to a few blocks. Tillie was extra impactful in opposition to the Lakers than he was in opposition to Miami, but it surely was nonetheless a mediocre efficiency.
That simply leaves Ron Harper Jr., who was a team-worst -11 within the Celtics’ 14-point win over the Lakers. Harper made a 3, however for essentially the most half, he simply regarded like an additional physique on the market.
Oh yeah, Tyler Prepare dinner was there, too.
BONUS: Kristaps Porzingis appears to be doing simply wonderful after surgical procedure, in accordance with MacLeay. “Final time I talked to him, he was on a seashore someplace, and he was simply chilling,” he stated.
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