After beginning Summer season League play 0-2, the Boston Celtics nabbed their first victory with a 95-90 come from behind win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan Walsh led the cost for the Celtics capturing 50% from the ground for a 25-point effort, all whereas notching eight boards, two assists and a steal.
Whereas the story of the sport ought to’ve been Dalano Banton’s debut after lacking the primary two video games with a finger damage, the actual story, for no less than the primary half, has been Jay Scrubb.
Each groups began the sport off slowly, the Celtics regarded fully flat because the Lakers discovered a rhythm behind Max Christie’s 11-point 1st quarter. As the primary body got here to an in depth, Scrubb hit a buzzer-beating 3 to maintain the Celtics inside a single-digit deficit.
As soon as the 2nd quarter started, the momentum from Scrubb’s late 3 appeared to hold over as Boston went on an early 10-2 run to chop the Lakers’ result in 5. Nonetheless, LA responded and constructed their lead again as much as 11, and the deficit by no means appeared to go away. Because the half got here to an in depth, Scrubb hit one other big bucket that saved the Celtics inside 10 going into the third. Scrubb completed the primary half with 15 factors in 13 minutes.
The story of the second half modified from Scrubb to Walsh after halftime. Walsh struggled to hit something from distance early within the recreation however discovered success when attacking the cup.
Walsh virtually single-handedly introduced Boston proper again into the sport because of his efforts on each ends of the ground. On the offensive facet, Walsh was almost automated. On the defensive finish, he helped generate quite a lot of stops and turnovers, which allowed the Celtics to chop into the Lakers’ shrinking lead in transition.
“It’s all been part of the gameplan. You recognize Boston. We’re identified for being robust, we’re identified for preventing, and that’s what we’re doing now.” stated Walsh. “We gathered the crew at halftime and we advised them, ‘hey, us being down 10 at halftime is nothing. Let’s combat by way of it and get a dub.’”
The 4th quarter was simply extra of the identical from the third, besides it felt like the entire crew discovered a rhythm. It appeared like everybody on the Celtics was scoring with relative ease, all whereas making the Lakers uncomfortable on the opposite finish. The Lakers began making a late push to try to regain the lead, however the Celtics by no means took their foot off the fuel as Walsh hit a vicious slam for the dagger that primarily sealed the win for the Summer season Celts.
Except for Walsh, 4 different Celtics completed in double digits. Scrubb completed with 18 factors, six rebounds, and 4 assists. Banton completed his debut with 12 factors, three rebounds and 6 assists. JD Davison completed with a double-double with 11 factors, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. Final, however not least, Justin Champagnie completed with 10 factors, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
