Hugo Gonzalez, Charles Bassey, Jordan Walsh stand out as Celtics win summer opener

The Celtics struggled at the rim and at the free-throw line, but ultimately they did enough to win their opening game at the Las Vegas Summer League. Jordan Walsh led the Celtics with 17 points. Charles Bassey, a late addition to the roster, had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Hugo Gonzalez had 12 points, five assists, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.

Box Score 

The Celtics used Max Shulga as their primary ball handler for most of the game. He finished with zero turnovers, which is impressive considering the extensive pressure from the Memphis Grizzlies. The game was frantic to start, but the Celtics did settle down some in the second half. I actually saw them run a play!

They built a big lead, went cold, and then went on a big run to close the game out for the win. 

I didn't see much in terms of experimentation. I didn't see any crazy sets or wild defenses right away. The Celtics might just be trying to figure each other out first and get a game or two under their belts to build some continuity before they try running a lot of different stuff. 

Here's a player-by-player assessment of today's performance: 

Hugo Gonzalez: This felt like an as-advertised kind of game for him. He has a big-time motor, and he hustled his way into some nice plays. 

That was a lot of heart, some great defense, and a made 3 to cap it all off. He was 3-5 from deep, which is nice. He was 1-5 from the free throw line, though, which is not. 

His court vision was very nice as well. He hit a few nice looks, which is one of those translatable things we're looking for. 

He didn't shoot well, but he gave good effort and saw the floor nicely. It's obvious he has a lot to learn, but there might be some building blocks here for a future contributor. 

Charles Bassey: He wasn't on any of the official Celtics rosters, but he was there and he played well (he's the guy who got the dunk off that Gonzalez drive). Bassey played four years for the Spurs and is a bouncy big who blocked a couple of shots and altered more in his 18:28 of playing time. The Celtics do not currently have a roster spot for him, but I already think I've seen enough to say he warrants a look in camp. 

He had a strong second half, going 7-8 from the field overall. Seven of his 11 rebounds came on the offensive glass. 

The Celtics don't have a true lob threat on the roster. I'd rather give Bassey a roster spot at this point than JD Davison or Xavier Tillman.

Jordan Walsh: He shot 50% across the board on his way to a team-high 17. His jumper looked smooth, which is nice. Mostly, his points came off hustle plays, which is part of the "a good player should find success against summer competition" rule. I liked how Walsh played, but I don't know if he could have done this exact thing against better competition. He was WIDE open for some of his shots, mostly because of defensive breakdowns. 

- Amari Williams: Not a lot from him in this game, though he did have a nice assist, which showed off his passing ability. 

I think Williams was a bit overzealous in some of his blocked shot attempts and it either led to fouls or being out of position and giving up baskets. He needs to be more under control and have more awareness of what's around him down low. 

But he had this nice steal and dunk. So he gets to post a highlight on his Instagram.

Max Shulga: Nothing noteworthy here other than the ball security that I mentioned. I have a feeling he will be better with a team that's been together for a while. 

Baylor Scheierman: An awful shooting day for him, but most of the shots he got were good looks. I have a feeling he'll knock those down in the next game. He was 2-14 in this game, 1-8 from 3. He did grab five rebounds and dish four assists, so he didn't completely let the bad shooting get him down. 

Kenny Lofton, Jr.: I wanted to cut him at halftime. He was awful in the first half, playing out of control, not passing, and just being detrimental in almost every way possible. He was better in the second half, actually giving the ball up sometimes, but I don't think he's worth having around on this roster. He epitomizes the kind of summer league player who makes things difficult on everyone else by being selfish and looking to impress the scouts in attendance. I don't see how he falls in line with what the team wants to do because it's obvious he's not going to get a chance in Boston and he desperately wants back into the league. 

Boston's next game is Sunday at 5:30 on NBCS Boston and NBA TV.