bounce back Hugo Gonzalez. Navigating the typical ups and downs of a rookie season, the former Real Madrid He notably increased his playing time and, consequently, his impact on the court compared to the previous game in the placid victory of the Boston Celtics against the Indiana Pacers (119-104). The eaves of 19 yearsonly 2 minutes in the Detroit game on Monday, played 11 minutes to leave a mark of 5 points and 2 rebounds with 2/3 in field goals and 1/2 in triples.
Beyond the numbers, there were some scenes from the game representative of both the Celtics’ blind faith in Hugo and the status that the Madrid native enjoys in the NBA when his rookie year has barely reached the halfway point. As soon as he took to the court in the second quarter, the Spanish international began to defend Jay Huffthe Pacers center is a giant with his 2.16 compared to the ’28”s 1.98.
But Hugo has faced more imposing towers, who was once like a stone in the shoe for Karl-Anthony Towns, a starting center for the New York Knicks. Joe Mazzulla believes so much in his young pupil that for the Celtics coach size does not matter.
After surprising Huff with a triple over him after stealing a rebound, Hugo was in charge of Andrew Nembhard until before the break, going from one extreme to the other, from the 2.16 of the Indiana center to the 1.93 of the elusive point guard. Although in this case the former Real Madrid player’s vigilance at the beginning of the possessions was not excessive, the Pacers gave up starting the plays with Nembhard when serving the ball.
It is part of their identity to give rhythm to the game but also a clear sign of what they respect in the NBA as a defender at number 28 in the draft. With the intensity with which he harasses the defense, it is not a good idea to start possessions with a player that Hugo is holding in order to prevent the former Real Madrid player from disrupting the start of the action.
Although an innocent fault Pascal Sakak He made him regret giving free throws to the Cameroonian, the forward outwitted everyone when in a background play he completely missed Jarace Walker by pretending to go in one direction to end up cutting in another and scoring an easy layup. That ability to cut that the General Manager of the Celtics was referring to Brad Stevens right after recruiting Hugo in the draft.
The former player was not so lucid in the second half. Real Madrid in what was a peaceful victory for the Celtics, waiting for opportunities in the corners only to get an open shot that he missed and losing the ball on a drive. As he noted in a recent conversation with Drafted, Ball handling is one of the areas he is focusing on improving.
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Jaylen Brown He served as a leader who never fails with 30 points so that the Celtics remain second in the East with 27-16 while Pascal Siakam led the runners-up Pacers with 32 points and 10 rebounds, lacking incentive this season without Tyrese Haliburtonlast in the East with 10-35. Meanwhile, Hugo continues to challenge giants and earn the respect of the NBA along the way.
