Of their ultimate Summer season League “common season” sport, with an out of doors shot on the playoffs on the road, the Boston Celtics got here up brief in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks. The Finals rematch resulted in a 101-90 victory for Dallas, who earned their first win in Vegas.
Jaelen Home led the Celtics in scoring, dropping 18 factors on 19 pictures, whereas Baylor Scheierman added 15 of his personal. All the beginning lineup cracked double-digit scoring marks, as did Ron Harpter Jr., who poured in 11 factors off the pine.
1. Anton Watson might make Celtics contemplate pulling out pockets
Jaden Springer was nice within the one sport he performed. Neemias Queta proved dominant within the two he appeared in. However no one on the Celtics had as spectacular of a Summer season League as rookie large man Anton Watson.
In opposition to the Mavericks, the previous Gonzaga large man put up 14 factors, eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks whereas capturing 5-of-11 from the sphere and 2-of-4 from deep. However most significantly, he was continually in the appropriate place defensively, proving his skills as a stalwart on that finish of the ground.
Boston has an open two-way spot proper now, and he’s the clear frontrunner to land it. However with how effectively he’s performed, the Celtics ought to critically contemplate opening up their pockets and signing him to the fifteenth roster spot utilizing the second-round exception. That manner, they might get him on a four-year deal.
Watson is that good.
2. Jaelen Home deserves a spot in Maine
Regardless of barely seeing the courtroom till Boston’s third sport, Home has confirmed worthy of staying within the Celtics group. Actually, Boston ought to do no matter they will to maintain him round except another person scoops him up on a two-way contract.
Although he wasn’t environment friendly in opposition to the Mavericks (7-of-19 FG, 2-of-7 3PT), he did all the pieces else at a really excessive stage whereas exhibiting flashes of high quality scoring.
Home performed stable protection, hustled at any time when he obtained the possibility, dished out 9 assists, and even dove on the ground to drive a leap ball—which he gained.
“His power is nice,” mentioned coach DJ MacLeay. “He’s superior to have round. I feel, simply basically, he’s actually, actually taken on a task of making an attempt to stress the ball. After which, I assumed he did job of dealing with a large load offensively at present.
“Clearly, we have been down a pair guards, so he was together with the ball in his fingers quite a bit, getting us into stuff, and organizing [our offense]. I assumed he did a reasonably good job of that, contemplating he needed to do all that.”
The six-foot level guard simply performs basketball the appropriate manner, and he’s the kind of participant who Celtics followers would fall in love with instantly.
3. Jordan Walsh lives in his personal head rent-free
This was about as dangerous of a Summer season League exhibiting as Jordan Walsh might have presumably had. He performed high-quality protection in opposition to the Mavs. He snagged 11 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. However he simply can’t get out of his personal head.
“Once I assume again on the sport, one possession actually stands out,” mentioned MacLeay. “He made a very, actually concerted effort to crash the offensive glass, obtained an offensive rebound, and I feel another person obtained a 3.
“And so, I feel when that involves thoughts, like, he performed actually, actually onerous at present, and I feel he’s doing the most effective he can defensively. And I feel that he had sport on that finish. Photographs come and go. It’s a small pattern. You simply obtained to stick with the method, hold capturing the appropriate ones, and go from there.”
Walsh shot 0-of-10 from past the arc in opposition to Dallas, bringing his Summer season League whole to 0-of-22 on threes — zero threes made in 4 video games on over 5 makes an attempt per sport. He was the one participant in Summer season League with double-digit three-point makes an attempt with out a make.
“I really feel such as you form of need to go in with the mentality of being higher than you have been earlier than. And I assume that’s form of what slumped me at first,” Walsh mentioned of his Summer season League exhibiting. “Simply form of moving into with that mentality. Not moving into with the appropriate mentality of, ‘Alright, I obtained to exit and play as onerous as I can. The outcomes of the outcomes.’ So, now I’m making an attempt to change to that and let that be the principle aim and see the way it goes.”
For a man hoping to have an out of doors shot at breaking into Boston’s rotation subsequent season, this Summer season League stint was an absolute catastrophe. It was painfully clear that he was in his personal head worse than ever earlier than.
4. Baylor Scheierman’s capturing is again
After a rocky begin to Summer season League from behind the arc, Baylor Scheierman discovered his vary in opposition to the Mavs. He went 3-for-6 from distance whereas totality 15 factors and 5 boards.
Scheierman’s impression on the sport boils all the way down to far more than his capturing, but it surely was good to see a couple of go down on Friday. He’s been impactful in each space of the sport, and after the sport, he credited assistant coach Craig Luschenat for serving to him all through Summer season League.
“Craig watched plenty of movie, and he’s been serving to me out quite a bit with protection and the verbiage,” mentioned Scheierman. “And like I mentioned, watching plenty of movie of the video games, making an attempt to study, and simply be higher every time I step on the courtroom.”
5. Killian Tillie is again
Previous to becoming a member of the Celtics for Summer season League, Killian Tillie hadn’t performed skilled basketball in two years, as he was coping with a mess of accidents. However, after shaking the rust off within the first couple of video games, he discovered his rhythm.
In opposition to Dallas, Tillie posted a 12-point, four-rebound statline whereas capturing 5-of-10 from the ground and 2-of-5 from distance. His three-point shot is clear and assured, and his defensive instincts are spectacular, too, as he nabbed a steal and a block as effectively.
The Celtics might not have room to maintain round, however he’d make an excellent challenge up in Maine. Gonzaga simply is aware of easy methods to churn out high quality large males.
6. Ron Harper Jr. lastly flashes potential
It has been a reasonably underwhelming Summer season League for Harper, who the Celtics have inked to a training-camp deal. However of their ultimate sport in opposition to the Mavericks, he had his greatest efficiency of the occasion.
Alongside along with his 11 factors, Harper added two rebounds, one help, and one block. He shot 4-of-9 from the ground and 3-of-6 from past the three-point arc. And most significantly, his shot appeared assured from distance, as he let it fly with out hesitation.
7. Is Jahmi’us Ramsey getting a contract?
The Celtics sat Jahmi’s Ramsey for his or her ultimate Summer season League sport. If he have been below contract proper now, that wouldn’t be a subject of dialog. He’s been wonderful to this point. However since he’s not on a deal, the truth that they sat him might imply {that a} deal is in line for the 23-year-old.
Now, the deal he will get is probably not with the Celtics, however by sitting out, Ramsey is actually screaming, “I’m going to signal a contract and don’t need to threat getting harm.”
8. The remainder
Jaden Springer, Neemias Queta, JD Davison, and Drew Peterson all sat out on this sport, which is smart. All of them will likely be again in Boston subsequent 12 months (or Maine, within the case of the latter two).
Contemplating the truth that he was the primary participant signed to Boston’s Summer season League staff, or at the very least the primary to be reported, Tristan Enaruna had a really disappointing Summer season League. He simply couldn’t get on the courtroom. And when he did play, it simply appeared like he was on the market filling area.
Tyler Prepare dinner was alright in his ultimate Summer season League stint, however he simply feels a bit too slow-footed on protection to earn actual run. His onerous screens and stable instincts might earn him a spot in Maine, however he was fairly mediocre.
The Celtics (2-2) will wrap up their time on the Strip on Sunday at 5 pm EST in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers (3-1).
