Hugo Barcia
Miami (USA), Jan 17 (EFE).- Hugo González has landed on the right foot in the NBA, but admits that he still has a lot to improve. With him on the court, the Boston Celtics are the best defensive team in the league and although his minutes are still limited, he has become one of the main drivers of the league’s winningest franchise to stop rival stars.
“A player as young as me can improve absolutely everything, I simply (must) continue working, continue trusting the process more than the short-term result, and trust that the work will bear fruit for the future,” González told EFE after last Thursday’s victory in Miami against the Heat (114-119).
The young Spaniard, who will turn 20 on February 5, has become one of the favorites of Celtics fans thanks to the intensity he displays on the hardwood and his outings are usually celebrated by the TD Garden.
Although his numbers don’t say much, with 14.9 minutes per night in which he averages 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and less than one assist, it is in the defensive section where his presence is most noticeable.
With González on the field, those in green have the best defensive rating in the league, with 103 points conceded per 100 possessions, and the former Real Madrid player is often chosen by his coach, Joe Mazzulla, to pair up with rival figures.
Kevin Durant, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and Karl-Anthony Towns, players of different sizes and positions, are some of the defensive assignments that González, who is 1.98 tall, already has on his resume.
“He has quickly demonstrated his defensive instinct, he is capable of defending guards and guards with great speed,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla summarized about the young Spaniard in the press conference prior to the game against the Heat.
Asked by EFE about González’s development in the little more than three months he has been in the league, after being chosen with the 28th pick in the last draft, Mazzulla added that “he is doing a great job.”
In addition to being a good one-on-one in defense, González is good at assisting and contributes to changing the team’s energy by often fighting for defensive and offensive rebounds or fighting for every loose ball.
The differential, a statistic that indicates how the score changes when a player is on the court, places González as the second with the greatest impact on the squad. With him on the floor, the Celtics have a differential of +5.3, slightly behind Derrick White, with +5.4.
Among rookies who have played more than one game, González is by far the player with the best differential.
Aware of the attention he receives from Spain and from the ‘Celtic’ fans, the player expressed that he tries to remain calm.
“I try to stay with my feet on the ground and get away from better or worse days,” he said.
The main ‘but’ so far this season for González is his contribution in attack. He barely attempts three shots a night and his role on the offensive side is limited to occupying the corner waiting for a released triple or a backdoor that catches his pair by surprise.
It is unusual to see him participate in the ball circulation of the Celtics, one of the teams that makes the fewest passes per game, in which the game almost always involves Jaylen Brown, who decides the direction of the attack.
In this regard, Mazzulla assured that the Spaniard still has to “understand the league” to improve in attack.
“He begins to see different pairings in attack, to find the balance between shooting and attacking penetrations, to use blocks against different defenses,” said the coach, before indicating that González “is working hard” to develop his offensive game.
His 48% shooting from two is decent, although it’s mostly limited to finishes in the paint and barely includes mid-range attempts. It is in the triple, with 34.7% effectiveness, where he still needs to improve to become a considerable threat.
However, González stated that the coaching team gives him peace of mind.
“(They tell me) to be calm, to continue working as I am doing, to continue helping the team to achieve victories, that is the most important thing and from there to continue building my individual level, but always thinking and prioritizing at a collective level,” he said.
And he highlighted that the coaching staff has helped him a lot to adapt to his first experience abroad.
“I have a staff that helps me a lot to adapt and put myself in advantageous situations for me,” he highlighted.
Despite the injury of Jayson Tatum, who ruptured an Achilles tendon in the last playoffs, the Celtics occupy second place in the Eastern Conference with a balance of 25 wins and 15 losses.
What seemed like it was going to be a year of transition has ended up becoming a year of hope for the Boston team. EFE
(photo)(video)
