The Boston Celtics got here into their third Summer time League recreation with out a win to their identify, but they discovered a method to grind out a hard-fought win towards the Los Angeles Lakers, who got here into the night time on a two-game successful streak. Celtics followers bought their first have a look at Dalano Banton, whereas Jordan Walsh confirmed no indicators of the knee damage he sustained within the recreation’s opening minutes towards the Washington Wizards.
Max Christie and the Lakers are the stronger perimeter capturing group and regarded to regulate the sport with their three-point scoring capability. Boston, although, wasn’t within the temper for a 3rd straight loss and fought their approach again from a deficit to beat their most fierce rivals.
Listed here are 10 takeaways from an thrilling Summer time League recreation.
#1 Taking pictures Varience continues to harm the Celtics
Let’s be trustworthy. This 12 months’s Summer time League roster isn’t teeming with perimeter shooters. As a substitute, there’s a roster filled with gamers who boast good dimension and size and may strain the rim at will. Some members of the roster can knock down threes at a mean clip. Solely Jay Scrubb is a pure out-and-out scorer.
It wasn’t a shock, then, that the Celtics went 4-of-14 from deep within the first half earlier than barely pulling issues again to finish the sport 9-of-16 (34.6%). Final season, the Celtics had their fair proportion of run-ins with the trials and tribulations that being a perimeter-heavy group can carry, but the Summer time League roster adjusted rapidly and commenced to make good use of their dimension across the rim and within the mid-range.
Within the above clip, you possibly can see Jordan Walsh using a delayed lower to create a driving lane and get proper on the rim. It’s possessions like these, the place Boston turned their consideration to ‘hitting singles’ that stored them inside putting distance because the Lakers loved a sizzling begin.
#2 A special tempo of play
Of their opening two video games of Summer time League, Boston has regarded to push the tempo and set the tone. In opposition to the Lakers, the Celtics deployed a extra methodical method on offense, using extra pick-and-roll actions whereas seeking to develop scoring alternatives within the half-court. As such, we noticed extra off-ball motion and bought to see JD Davison and Banton’s decision-making skills, as they regularly probed the protection earlier than making their reads.
#3 Brad Stevens seems to be happy with Malcolm Brogdon & Payton Pritchard
Brad Stevens joined the announcer’s desk through the first quarter, the place he gave a whole lot of ‘GM Converse’ in regards to the strikes this summer time. But, the one factor that stood out was how he spoke in regards to the group’s guard rotation shifting ahead.
“I feel the most important factor, we had actually, actually good depth on the guard spots,” Stevens stated. “All the best way down the road, we had good guards that weren’t getting many minutes…Our guards ought to have some room to work (following the addition of Kristaps Porzingis.)”
Derrick White tasks to be the place to begin guard for the Celtics subsequent season, with Malcolm Brogdon persevering with in his sixth-man function and Payton Pritchard rounding out the rotation. And, after all, Jaylen Brown will proceed to begin on the two-guard spot. Banton and JD Davison will then be left to duke it out for no matter minutes are remaining.
#4 Our first have a look at Dalano Banton
We’ve waited two complete video games to get our first have a look at Banton following the Celtics’ acquisition of the 6’9’’ guard in free company. First impressions are all the time powerful, particularly within the chaos that’s Summer time League basketball. But, the primary impression wasn’t dangerous in any respect.
Banton regarded managed when initiating actions because the pick-and-roll ball-handler and appeared keen to struggle to get to his scoring spots.
Within the above play, you possibly can see Banton drag his dribble over a stagger display screen earlier than turning the nook to get downhill. Banton has a person chasing him within the rearview however would not enable himself to get sped up. As a substitute, the 23-year-old stays poised and goes into his capturing movement at his personal tempo. Sadly, there have been additionally moments when Banton regarded somewhat too passive after getting right into a scoring place – as seen under.
On the defensive finish, Banton used his dimension nicely, though he did discover himself getting back-cut on multiple event. Banton might want to enhance his physique positioning and consciousness if he needs to keep away from getting torn to shreds on again cuts through the common season. Once more, this was one recreation, and first impressions could be deceiving, so it’s seemingly that Banton has extra to supply than what we noticed towards the Lakers.
#5 Summer time League protection in full impact
Exterior of Walsh, who performed a fierce defensive recreation, the Celtics had been struggling to restrict the Lakers’ offensive possibilities and pressure dangerous photographs. Miscommunications noticed switches occurring late, they noticed gamers being run into screens, whereas poor positioning resulted in pocket passes, snatch-back jumpers, and clear lanes to the ring.
Protection is a group duty. Communication is a group duty. At instances, it appeared like nobody was looking for the person subsequent to them. Fortuitously, as the sport wore on, Boston upped their defensive depth and commenced to get stops.
On the NBA degree, particularly with a contending group just like the Celtics, protection is the way you’re going to earn rotation minutes. Making a giant impression as a useful defensive commodity needs to be a high precedence for everybody on the Summer time League roster — no matter what else you carry to the desk.
#6 JD Davison has one other spectacular night time
It appears like JD Davison can do every part nicely besides rating the rock. The second-year guard is adept at securing rebounds. Davison can management the tempo of the sport. Assists come straightforward to the explosive guard attributable to his capability to penetrate the protection, and pressure collapses together with his rim strain and explosiveness. But, for some motive, changing his makes an attempt into factors continues to be a problem for Davison.
Nonetheless, Davison performed nicely towards the Lakers and completed the competition with out registering a single turnover. In a slower-paced recreation than what we’ve seen so far, Davison tailored his enjoying type and used his modifications of tempo to penetrate the perimeter protection whereas additionally flashing upside as a lob passer.
Davison nonetheless has work to do on the defensive facet of the ground and must proceed engaged on his capability to complete by means of contact and hit perimeter jumpers. Nonetheless, one other 12 months within the G-League will work wonders for a guard who has already taken leaps previously 12 months.
#7 The place was Justin Bean?
Justin Bean has been a gentle contributor in Summer time League. Bean hasn’t been flashy or stood out, but he has been regular and dependable. Nonetheless, with Banton getting into the rotation, it was Bean who noticed his enjoying time take successful, with the consequence being a quiet and ineffective night time.
#8 The Celtics are tied to third-quarter performances, it could appear
In recent times, the third quarter has been a make-or-break second for the Celtics. Through the NBA Bubble, I used to be preserving depend of what number of instances Boston blew a recreation with a poor exhibiting out of half-time. Whereas below Udoka, the Celtics made the third quarter a weapon. And Mazzulla skilled a combined bag of outcomes.
In opposition to the Lakers, the Celtics as soon as once more waited till the third quarter to come back alive. Chasing down a Los Angeles lead earlier than pulling forward within the dying moments. It looks like the Celtics and third-quarter performances are confined to simply NBA video games.
The Celtics outscored the Lakers 30-17 within the third, with Walsh main the best way with 12 factors, 2 rebounds, and 50% capturing from the perimeter.
#9 Udoka Azubuike and Olek Balcerowksi swap roles
In opposition to the Miami Warmth and Washington Wizards, Olek Balcerowksi was the extra spectacular of Boston’s big-man duo. But, Udoka Azubuike has grown in manufacturing during the last two video games and had his finest efficiency in a Celtics Summer time League jersey towards the Lakers.
Nonetheless not the very best of screeners, Azubuike made up for shortcomings by being extra energetic as an off-ball large, using strong motion, together with being a giant physique within the paint.
The place Balcerowksi discovered himself going alongside for the journey, Azubuike made his presence felt. Nonetheless, we’ve bought to provide props to Balcerowksi for having the very best rebounding night time of his Summer time League thus far, as that’s been a weak point I’ve been desperate to see him resolve.
#10 That includes Jordan Walsh
You’ve bought to ask your self if Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla have given Tony Dobbins a remit to characteristic Walsh on the offensive finish closely. After getting into the NBA with a popularity for being a fearsome defender with offensive limitations, Walsh has been tasked with dealing with the rock, capturing threes, and pressuring the rim over his first three Summer time League video games.
It didn’t begin off nicely for Walsh, however he grew in stature all through the competition and ended the sport on 10-of-20 capturing from the sphere. That includes Walsh appears like a predicated transfer to assist expedite his offensive growth and probably alerts that he can have some type of function within the rotation subsequent season. It’s going to be some time till Walsh seems snug from the perimeter on a constant foundation, but it surely’s straightforward to neglect that Grant Williams was a 25% shooter from deep as a rookie.
Walsh clearly has followers throughout the Celtics franchise, and Summer time League is the right time to begin giving him all of the reps he wants to begin blossoming into the three-and-d wing the Celtics seemingly envision him turning into.
