NBA Notebook: Hugo Gonzalez a pleasant surprise through rough Celtics start

NEW YORK -- Hugo González stood with a serious face by his locker at Madison Square Garden and took a brief moment to reflect on his first NBA regular-season experience in Boston two days prior. Late in the third quarter, González walked to the scorer's table and appeared poised to make his debut. Then, Tyrese Maxey returned to the game for Adem Bona, and Joe Mazzulla called González back to the bench. He turned, grinned and hop-stepped across the Celtics' sideline, pumping his fists. The near entrance into the eventual loss looked strange, but Boston will often alter matchups based on how the other team substitutes during a stoppage and calling a player back isn't an unusual sight. 

"The game requires different things at different moments," Gonzalez told Boston Sports Journal before Celtics-Knicks. "And that can happen sometime." 

González, the 19-year-old, No. 28 overall pick from this past June, entered halfway through the first quarter in New York two nights later. He scored his first back just over one minute later, attacking Jalen Brunson around a screen. González grabbed a rebound one possession later, fouled Brunson closing out aggressively against him, then recorded his first steal in the third quarter to begin a stretch where he blew up three Knicks plays in rapid succession. New York won, he fouled four times and made most of his impact by roaming and sometimes freelancing, but he played hard enough, finished 3-for-6 offensively and earned enough trust from Joe Mazzulla to play 22 minutes. In a surprising follow-up, González received his first career start in Detroit on Sunday in place of Sam Hauser. He helped Boston build an early 17-point lead with two steals, a block and a forced offensive foul on Jalen Duren through the first four minutes. 

More impressively, he didn't relish in the milestone in his young career, his individual flashes, or even the general lift he provided the Celtics in New York. He stood as angry as anyone after the loss. Just as he told BSJ before the game he expected a better result on opening night despite having a great experience, he told reporters post-game that he wouldn't remember his NBA debut favorably -- because Boston lost. For all the encouraging moments he had against Brunson, he pushed back when asked how he became such a good defender. 

"I would say that Jalen Brunson dropped 30 points today," González said. "So it's not the day to say that I'm a good defender, I would say. But still, I tried to help (with) my energy and to have whatever Joe is asking me to do, that's my job right now. So I'll do that every time." 

It's unclear whether González will continue to join the starters after playing 18 minutes while the Celtics fell to 0-3 with a loss to the Pistons. He showed well again though, with two steals, a block and a rebound despite not scoring. Mazzulla told him to play with energy before the New York game, and tried to make Brunson feel uncomfortable. The Celtics plan to play various starting lineups throughout the season and Mazzulla mentioned not having a consistent rotation as a potential strength before the season. González found a way to garner more consistent minutes early in the season than Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, however, an encouraging sign for a rookie who admitted that the American game overwhelmed him at first with its pace and that it took some time to adapt to the Celtics' basketball terminology. 

He still entered in a good position, having learned from the Real Madrid youth development program since he turned 9 years old. He became a professional in 2022-23, so despite his relative youth, he entered more prepared than many American prospects to compete with adults. González' team last year featured former NBA contributors Mario Hezonja, former Raptors champion Serge Ibaka, former Celtic Bruno Fernando, former Nugget Facu Campazzo and other long-time pros. The stacked roster along with European customs kept González from playing often. He didn't factor into their championship run, so on draft night he celebrated the Spanish title as a spectator before staying up all night to hear his name called last by the Celtics. 

"It's continuing to build that defensive mindset," Mazzulla said of González starting. "And guys that are able to come in and just give us what we need defensively, he did that tonight. He's able to get through screens. He can give D. White and Payton and Jaylen a little break on the on-ball stuff there and have him do that. It was good that he was able to do that, and we just gotta continue to develop that mentality." 

González' seriousness, intensity and hard playing style have stood out to teammates since he arrived. He stayed behind during a recent practice session for extra work on his on-ball defense, bodying Celtics assistant Craig Luschenat and diving to the floor to retrieve the loose ball before rising to his feet, pumping his fists and yelling. Luschenat gave him a high-five and they called it a day. González' style suits a new-look Celtics defense that doesn't embrace as much individual defense and allows for more helping, roaming and calculated risks. Those led to his best moments through his first two appearances. Offensively, he found ways to fit in on-ball, crashing and shooting 3-for-8 from deep during the preseason. It's unclear where he eventually fits in on that end. For now, his physicality, size and solid instincts give him a chance to get in games often. 

That's a shift from the past, where JD Davison, Walsh and Scheierman spent significant portions of their rookie seasons with the G-League in Maine. Boston initially planned to do the same with González, who favored coming to the NBA over opportunities to stay overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect. As the preseason progressed and González caught up to the speed of the game, looked more comfortable than he did during an uneven Summer League stint in Vegas and found ways to make himself a threat on offense, it became more apparent that González may stay in Boston more often than expected. Many Celtics prospects suffered from inconsistent opportunity in recent seasons, and after sitting out opening night entirely like those before him, he emerged quickly into the team's first road trip, but doesn't care much about his own performance. The same circumstances that got him on the court have frustrated him just like everyone else who's been here. He hasn't smiled or joked through the tough start, and stays notoriously tough with himself. 

He won't carry many positive memories from his first week because of the losses. 

"Obviously, opening night at the Garden was special," González told BSJ. "I've experienced it now. So just hoping for the season to get advanced and start winning games." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta (1-2): Kristaps Porziņģis revealed that he suffered from POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a condition that leads to spikes in heart rate while standing that can cause extreme exhaustion and dizziness. He's now managing it with diet and rest after it derailed his final postseason run with the Celtics. In his Hawks debut earlier this week, he scored 20 points with seven rebounds and two blocks on 5-for-12 shooting. The Athletic also looked back at how the deal came together, Atlanta relenting a need to pivot to the now and flipping their first-round picks to the Nets and later the Pelicans to return a future Bucks first-rounder and Porziņģis. Still, the Raptors blew out the Hawks in the opener, then Porziņģis missed the last two games with an illness. 

Boston (0-3): Blew a 13-point fourth quarter lead to the 76ers on opening night before suffering their worst quarter loss in franchise history to the Knicks in the second quarter on Friday, which they lost by 28 points in the eventual 105-95 defeat. Jaylen Brown turned the ball over seven times as his re-acclimation from a preseason hamstring ailment continued, while Payton Pritchard fell to 20% from three since the start of the preseason. Luka Garza (concussion protocol) left Wednesday's game in the first half and sat out on Friday, and enters Sunday's game at Detroit questionable to return. Rookie Hugo Gonzalez shot 3-for-6 and played disruptive defense in his NBA debut. Brown may sit out one half of the back-to-back in Detroit and New Orleans on Sunday and Monday, entering the Pistons game questionable with hamstring management. Derrick White is probable with a right wrist sprain. Brown, speaking on the NBA gambling scandal that emerged last week, said the league has not done enough to protect players from the pressures of prop bets. 

Cleveland (2-1): Dropped the season opener in New York before Donovan Mitchell dropped 35 points in a 131-124 win over the Nets. Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) will remain out when the Cavs visit Boston on Wednesday. That meant a starting role for Sam Merrill, who scored 19 points in New York before adding 22 at Brooklyn. Jaylon Tyson, entering his second season out of California, started both games at forward. Mitchell shot 55% FG, 42.1% 3PT and scored 66 points across Cleveland's first two games, but only Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley joined Mitchell and Merrill in double-figures. Damon Jones, a former Cavaliers player, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sharing confidential injury information regarding LeBron James to facilitate illegal sports betting. Jones was one of 34 people arrested in a sweeping FBI gambling crackdown last week. Jones joined the Lakers as an unofficial staff member during the 2022-23 season, working closely with James. He's no longer part of the organization. 

Dallas (1-2): Lost to the Spurs and Wizards in lifeless offensive efforts to begin the season, while rookie Cooper Flagg struggled, dropping to 10-for-27 from the field with 14.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 3.0 APG (4.0 TOV). Dallas started a massive lineup featuring Flagg at point guard alongside Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II to begin the year. Daniel Gafford (ankle) missed the start of the season and is questionable to return on Sunday. With Luka Dončić scorching in LA, fire Nico chants returned on Friday. 

"I know I'm kicking myself, and I'm obviously not happy," Flagg said. "I'm a little upset. I mean, it's just I'm a competitor. I love to win and I want to win as many games as possible, so it's not a great start. We got a lot of film to look at, a lot of stuff to look at and a lot to improve."

Denver (1-1): Nikola Jokić posted a triple-double in each of his first two games, losing a thriller to the Warriors where Aaron Gordon shot 10-for-11 from three and scored 50 points. The Nuggets followed the Celtics' lead and hosted a coaches vs. media game that Jared Dudley and company took, 114-16. 

Golden State (2-1): Al Horford came off the bench in his first two Warriors games, then rested the third on a back-to-back, Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga starting with Draymond Green at center for the first two. Quentin Post moved to center for a loss against Portland, Green resting too, after Steph Curry's vintage 42 points, six rebounds and seven assists led Golden State over Denver in overtime. The new Warriors veterans played some pretty basketball in their first real action together. 

Houston (0-2): Alperen Şengün missed a turnaround jumper at the elbow to end regulation on opening night before the Thunder stole the win in double overtime. Şengün posted 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists at Oklahoma City while shooting 5-for-8 from three. He played less efficiently (5-18 FG, 0-2 3PT) in a loss to Detroit, one that Kevin Durant recalled Houston's staff being pissed after. The Rockets have struggled through Fred VanVleet's absence so far, leaning on Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson at point for minutes that have grown stagnant often. 

"Coaching staff is pissed off, players are pissed off," Durant said. "We want a better outcome, and it's early too. So for us to feel that way, I like that kind of energy."

Indiana (0-3): Injury woes worsened when Andrew Nembhard (shoulder) left the team's opening night Finals rematch loss to the Thunder before he sat out a blowout defeat at Memphis. The Pacers started Bennedict Mathurin at point guard alongside Ben Sheppard in place of Nembhard. Indiana also swapped out centers, starting James Wiseman in place of Isaiah Jackson after the Pacers struggled at that position in the opener. It's unclear when Nembhard will return from what's been described as a strain. 

Lakers (1-1): Luka Dončić showed off his new fitness by scoring 40 points in each of the first two games to begin his first full season as a Laker. His 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists down the Timberwolves for LA's first win after an opening night loss to Golden State. Across the two games, Dončić combined to shoot 31-for-50 (62%) from the field and 7-for-22 from three. Dončić's 92 points passed Jerry West's 81 in 1969 for the most points across the first two games of the season by a Lakers player, and passed Michael Jordan for the fourth-most by any NBA player in league history. He'll now miss the next week, at least, with a left finger sprain and leg contusion. 

Memphis (2-1): Ja Morant scored 35 points on opening night in his return from a training camp ankle injury, while rookie Cedric Coward impressed with 27 points in 24 minutes during the team's following win over Indiana. Coward, the No. 11 pick from the Yang Hansen trade with Portland, hit all six threes he attempted in the win and improved to 70.4% from the field through his first three NBA games. 

Miami (1-1): Police arrested Heat guard Terry Rozier in connection with a sweeping gambling investigation involving numerous NBA figures. An indictment against Rozier and others alleged that he participated in an illegal sports betting scheme by sharing inside information. The NBA previously investigated and cleared Rozier over unusual betting activity surrounding a 2023 game he played in as a member of the Hornets. They responded that they don't have the same investigative power as the federal government and placed both Rozier and Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on administrative leave. Brian Windhorst, commenting on the Rozier saga, shared that the investigation into Rozier began in 2023, when he was traded from Charlotte to Miami after missing eight games with a foot injury following the night he allegedly shared information and left a game. Windhorst revealed that was just an excuse to hold Rozier out while the investigation commenced, which the NBA denied. Jaylen Brown, Rozier's former teammate, said the arrest wasn't conducive of his character and planned to gather more information with the player's union to try to clear him if he's innocent. 

“You support him through and through,” Heat veteran Bam Adebayo said in Memphis. “That’s our brother at the end of the day. It felt kind of weird without him being here, actually, because he’s the first person I get to talk to in the morning. He brings that great energy to our team.”

New Orleans (0-2): Zion Williamson scored 27 points in each of the Pelicans' losses to begin the season, which came by a combined 10 points against the Grizzlies and Spurs. Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole also scored double-figures in the losses, with New Orleans receiving six of those efforts against Memphis and five in overtime opposite of San Antonio. Defense haunted them, with Williamson moving to center as Yves MIssi joined Kevon Looney on the sideline with an ankle injury. Missi practiced on Sunday ahead of the team's matchup with the Celtics on Monday. New Orleans signed veteran De'Andre Jordan to have another option inside as their centers recover. 

New York (2-0): Started big with Ariel Hukporti in place of Mitchell Robinson for their opening night win before they went smaller against the Celtics with Miles McBride on the wing and Karl-Anthony Towns at center. A quad strain threatened Towns' availability for opening night before he ultimately played and posted 19 points and 11 rebounds over Cleveland before dropping 26 points and 13 rebounds against Boston. Josh Hart made his season debut on Friday, grabbing 14 boards in 19 minutes as New York devastated Boston on the boards and in transition. The Knicks only shot 38.4% from the field in the win, but grabbed 21 missed field goals on the offensive glass. 

Oklahoma City (3-0): After raising their first championship banner in franchise history, the Thunder looked like their disruptive, dominant selves on opening night against the Rockets. They trailed throughout much of regulation before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closed a comeback effort with a game-tying shot that forced overtime and finished with 35 points to secure the win in double overtime. They went for two extra periods again in their Finals rematch with Indiana, Gilgeous-Alexander unloading 55 points in 45 minutes to stave off the Pacers before Chet Holmgren led the team with 31 points in Atlanta. That all happened with Jalen Williams (wrist) out of the lineup, and strides from Holmgren potentially make this group even scarier than last year given that he spent much of last regular season injured. Holmgren played through a dislocated thumb in the win at Atlanta.

"We all know what happened," he said. "I got dunked on and dislocated my thumb at the same time. It didn't look too bad. Obviously, my thumb was where it wasn't supposed to be. I see my thumb every day. It didn't look like it normally does. It also didn't look like completely done for. I tried to tell them to pop it back into place during the timeout. Because I was scared. I didn't know what to do. But they said I had to go for X-rays. That's why I went to the back."

Philadelphia (2-0): Tyrese Maxey scored 40 points and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 34, the third-most points by a rookie in their NBA debut ever behind Wilt Chamberlain's record 43 in 1959, as the Sixers erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit and beat the Celtics on opening night. Joel Embiid played on a minutes restricted and struggled immensely, shooting 1-for-9 and rarely reaching the basket, before bouncing back with 20 points in 20 minutes against Charlotte. Dominick Barlow (elbow), who started two games in Paul George's absence, will miss at least two games following a laceration he suffered against the Hornets. Jabari Walker and Justin Edwards will likely take on more minutes in his absence. The Celtics meet the Sixers again on Friday in Philadelphia on the front half of a back-to-back. It remains unclear when George and Jared McCain (thumb) will return. Both traveled to Boston for the opener, with McCain sporting a large wrap on his right shooting hand. 

Portland (1-1): Blazers players woke up following their opening night loss to the Timberwolves to news that police arrested their head coach Chauncey Billups as part of a sweeping gambling crackdown by the FBI. Billups' charge related to him allegedly taking part in rigged poker games that reportedly didn't surprise some in that community, but the indictments also listed an unnamed co-conspirator described as a former player who allegedly shared plans for the Blazers to tank. The NBA sidelined Billups as his case continues and the Blazers named former Spurs champion Tiago Splitter as interim coach. He last served as head coach of Paris Basketball last season. Associate head coach Nate Bjorkgren, a close friend of Billups, reportedly declined the appointment. Friends and former teammates of Billups expressed shock over the arrest, including Anfernee Simons, who he coached in Portland, who called the news unfortunate and said he'd been in touch with Damian Lillard and others who played for him in the aftermath. 

San Antonio (3-0): Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to a hot start in his return, scoring 40 points in 30 minutes on opening night to blow out the Mavericks before adding 29 and 31-point double doubles over New Orleans and Brooklyn. He's now averaging 33.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.6 SPG and an astonishing 6.0 BPG on 56.9% shooting (36.4% 3PT). Luke Kornet, his new running mate at center and the former Celtic, posted 8.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.5 APG and 1.5 BPG on 58.3% shooting in an efficient start to his Spurs tenure. No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper saved the Spurs late with 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting against Brooklyn and averaged 16.0 PPG through his first three games. The Spurs honored former head coach and current front office executive Gregg Popovich with a banner at their home arena. According to those in San Antonio, Popovich preferred not to have a ceremony or big deal made about it. Wembanyama is currently second in MVP odds behind Gilgeous-Alexander.