Hugo González produced his finest performance of the preseason on Friday, October 16, scoring 21 points off the bench to lead the Boston Celtics to a 125-120 overtime victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Spanish guard added four rebounds and three assists in approximately 20 minutes of play, overshadowing the debut of LeBron James in Philadelphia.
Real Madrid Product Outshines Stars in Preseason Finale
Operating during a night that featured absences from established starters like Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Derrick White, González capitalized on his expanded minutes. According to Marca, the former Real Madrid prospect shot 6-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, finishing his preseason preparations with 19-of-30 shooting overall and 11-of-20 on three-pointers. The 20-year-old Spaniard acknowledged the resilience of a makeshift Boston lineup that erased a 14-point deficit. Nadie esperaba que ganáramos, sobre todo cuando sacamos ese quinteto y la gente ve quién juega y quién no.
Pero no nos importó: salimos a jugar el baloncesto de los Celtics y encontramos la manera de conseguirlo,
González said after the game, as reported by Marca. The victory also featured another Spanish player on the court as Sergio de Larrea contributed 8 points and 4 assists in 25 minutes during the Dallas Mavericks’ defeat against the Atlanta Hawks.
LeBron James and Philadelphia Adjust After High-Profile Arrival
For the 76ers, the matchup marked the home debut of LeBron James in his 24th NBA season. The expectation reached a maximum at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, where 19,746 spectators were devoted to LeBron, who threw chalk into the air for the first time as a member of the Sixers in Philadelphia. Playing alongside center Joel Embiid—who led Philadelphia with 27 points and eight rebounds—and former Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds against his former team, LeBron contributed eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in the defeat. The 41-year-old forward emphasized that his new squad requires time to establish chemistry. Vamos llegando.
Llevamos un par de semanas.
Seguimos trabajando en nuestro ritmo y en nuestros detalles.
No va a ser perfecto; obviamente, nos estamos conociendo, así que no va a ser perfecto.
Pero tenemos cosas sobre las que construir,
James stated, according to Marca, pointing to his early transition game connection with guard Tyrese Maxey.
Boston Rotation Battle Nears Regular Season Start
During his rookie campaign following his selection at No. 28 in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Madrid native averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebotes across 74 appearances in 14.6 minutes per contest. With the Celtics opening their regular season schedule on October 20 against the Detroit Pistons, González aims to solidify a consistent role within Joe Mazzulla’s rotation.
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