The Boston Celtics confronted off towards the Washington Wizards within the second evening of a back-to-back Summer season League schedule. Regardless of some stable flashes, Boston got here up quick for the second straight sport. That is Summer season League, although. Each minute performed is about creating, studying, and assessing.
Let’s dive into as we speak’s 10 takeaways.
#1 A lot of zone
Shoutout to Inexperienced With Envy’s Will Weir – he floated this query on as we speak’s podcast: “with a brand new teaching employees on the bench bringing recent concepts, are we seeing a prelude to the common season with how a lot zone the Summer season League Celtics are enjoying?”
We’re not going to know the reply to that query proper now. Nevertheless, there’s an opportunity we might see Boston deploy extra zone subsequent season, and there’s an opportunity they received’t. Both manner, SL head coach Tony Dobbins had his group rolling out 2-3 zone protection for important stretches of the sport.
To Boston’s credit score, their zone protection was profitable in disrupting the Wizards’ half-court offense and led to a number of disjointed possessions. Having both Olek Balcerowksi or Udoka Azubuike in the course of the zone additionally ensured the Celtics had some dimension defending the rim. Dobbins sprinkled some 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone into Boston’s Summer season League opener towards the Miami Warmth on Saturday, however nowhere close to this stage of frequency.
We might want to wait till Wednesday earlier than we see whether or not Dobbins continues to stay along with his zone protection ideas.
#2 An enormous enchancment from Justin Champagnie
Towards the Warmth, Justin Champagnie felt like a passenger. Not often did the third-year wing make a lot of an impression. Quick ahead 24 hours, and Champagnie flashed the upside and dominance that you’d anticipate from one of many extra skilled members on the ground.
Champagnie’s greatest talent is as a rebounder. But, within the fourth quarter, the 22-year-old got here alive as a scorer, dropping 10 factors to assist the Celtics attempt to shut the hole. Champagnie additionally ended the competition as the very best scorer within the sport and the one participant to register a double-double.
What’s extra, Champagnie additionally flashed some upside as a secondary creator with a few contact passes across the low publish to punish defensive rotations and discover the open huge.
There are nonetheless some questions surrounding Champagnie’s protection that want answering, however that is Summer season League — the tempo is frantic, everyone needs to impress, and the protection typically stutters in consequence. All-in-all, this was a stable bounce-back sport for Champagnie, who might want to string some extra of those performances collectively if he needs to struggle for his contract assure.
#3 You want a bucket should you’re going to Scrubb one thing
Truthfully, Jay Scrubb has been my favourite participant within the Celtics Summer season League all through the primary two video games. When he’s on the court docket, Scrubb is a bucket. There’s no telling how his scoring would translate to the NBA stage the place he would face a better caliber of defender and athlete, however Scrubb offers off all of the feels of a microwave scorer off the bench.
Towards the Wizards, Scrubb continued to point out his array of scoring strikes whereas additionally proving to be a succesful three-level risk. But, the factor that impressed me probably the most was seeing Scrubb rating out of a pick-and-roll motion the place he was the ball-handler.
Summer season League success, particularly on the offensive finish, isn’t one thing we ought to be studying too deeply into. Scrubb is enjoyable to look at and may undoubtedly get you buckets. Can he do it constantly when enjoying on the subsequent stage? Or is he destined for one more two-way deal? So much will rely upon how he handles defensive obligations, and that’s one thing we’ve not seen a lot of from him within the opening two video games.
#4 Tony Dobbins on the wheel
Late within the third quarter, the Celtics went deep into their playbook archives to run a ‘wheel’ motion.
Not a lot to remove right here. I simply preferred seeing it being known as and thought it was value stating. For reference, the Celtics ran these actions below Ime Udoka and sometimes discovered good scoring alternatives from them.
#5 Knee-ding extra from Jordan Walsh
Within the opening minutes of Boston’s sport towards Washington, Jordan Walsh suffered a knee conflict as he guarded a cross-action. From that second on, Walsh appeared a step slower than what we noticed towards Miami, and his scoring capability evaporated. Walsh went 4-of-14 from the sector and 1-of-6 from three, which is extra aligned with what most of us anticipated from the second-round draft choose earlier than he shocked us in Boston’s opening sport hitting his 4 threes.
Walsh didn’t let his offensive struggles gradual him down, although. As an alternative, the Arkansas product remained energetic on protection and used his size to be a disruptive drive. Hopefully, Walsh’s knee isn’t too dangerous, and he might be good to go on Wednesday.
A part of being a rookie is missing consistency. So, Walsh’s efficiency, nevertheless, restricted by his knee, isn’t one thing to panic about. Rising pains may also happen throughout a participant’s first couple of years.
#6 Olek Balcerowksi wants to make use of his dimension extra
On the entire, Balcerowksi had sport towards Washington. The massive man was a keen screener, confirmed his mobility on each side of the ground, and his a one-footed fadeaway from the nook to ice the opening quarter. Nevertheless, at 7’1’’, Balcerowksi has no excuse for not being extra dominant on the glass.
Rebounding wasn’t a part of Balcerowksi’s sport for Gran Canaria final season, one thing which I put all the way down to the defensive scheme he performed in. Nevertheless, Dobbins has used Balcerowksi as the massive man in a 2-3 zone and a dropping defender. When Balcerowski has performed his man greater up the ground, he’s remained beneath the extent of the display screen. We have to see Balcerowksi present extra aggressiveness when difficult for rebounds and making higher use of his huge body.
On the plus aspect, Balcerowksi did present some upside as a screener.
#7 Flashes of ball motion
Summer season League is an individualistic event. Everyone is enjoying for their very own probabilities of making a roster, incomes a coaching camp invite, or impressing abroad scouts which are in attendance. Boston appeared to place these individualistic agendas to at least one aspect for a number of possessions all through the sport towards the Wizards.
A flare display screen for Justin Bean. A reset to Jordan Walsh. Excessive entry go. Again reduce. Dunk. Good spacing, good off-ball motion, and fluidity to the Celtics’ strategy. Possessions like these will inform you much more in regards to the gamers on the ground than any spotlight play or poster dunk.
#8 Justin Bean
Two video games in, and Justin Bean hasn’t accomplished something to face out. Bean additionally hasn’t accomplished something to harm his inventory. As an alternative, Bean appears to be precisely what you need from a job participant — reliable. Slotting into the group’s offensive and defensive scheme, Bean is enjoying his function and holding his personal.
We’ve additionally seen moments of scoring that point out Bean can damage you from all three ranges.
The one query I might have about Justin Bean at this level, is whether or not he might be a step or two too gradual to be an efficient member of an NBA rotation.
#9 Udoka Azubuike had a greater sport
Azubuike struggled towards the Miami Warmth however discovered extra success towards the Wizards. The Celtics regarded to feed Azubuike at instances as they sought to utilize his dimension down low. Sadly, the previous Utah Jazz huge nonetheless gave the impression to be a poor screener and isn’t dominant on the low block regardless of not possessing a shot from exterior of the restricted space.
Azubuike can rebound, although, and has the scale to be a shot deterrent when guarding as a drop defender or in the course of a zone protection.
#10 Two-Manner JD Davison
J.D. Davison got here into the sport towards Washington recent off signing a second two-way contract with the Celtics. Nevertheless, it was an evening to neglect for the second-year guard. Davison confirmed the identical limitations that we noticed towards Miami: he struggles when confronted with contact and doesn’t have the constant aggression required to take advantage of out of his penetration capability.
Davison would thrive alongside a lob risk. Davison wants extra to his sport than simply velocity and lob passing. We have to see the two-way guard embracing ending by means of contact. We have to see Davison drawing extra defensive consideration earlier than kicking the ball out. And Davison wants to enhance his capability to attain off the dribble.
There’s so much to love about what Davison brings to the court docket, and he’s clearly improved since this time final yr. Sadly, there seems to be an extended approach to go earlier than Davison begins to make good on his potential. The bodily instruments are there, now the talents have to proceed being refined.
