In their third Summer League game of the year, the Boston Celtics hung on to beat the Golden State Warriors, 103-92. After jumping out to a commanding first-quarter leave, the Celtics fended off the Warriors as they climbed their way back throughout the game.
Boston dominated the first, outscoring the Warriors 38-18. They rode a flurry of threes, nailing six of their 12 three-point attempts in the opening quarter alone. With Matt Ryan and Sam Hauser sidelined, the rest of the roster decided to step up their shooting. Both Brodric Thomas and Justin Jackson had 11 points, combining for five triples.
Those two continued to impress throughout the night, overwhelming the Warriors from behind the three-point line. Thomas finished the game with 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep, while Jackson had 24 on 5-of-10 shooting from range.
Juhann Begarin also got in on the action, nailing two threes and finishing with 21 points, utilizing his freakish athleticism at every turn. Meanwhile, JD Davison showed off his exceptional playmaking skills, dropping nine dimes.
Jackson, in particular, was extremely impressive. With Hauser on the bench, he got the chance to start, and he made the most of it. His shooting stroke was pure all night long and he showed zero hesitation whenever he got the ball on the perimeter. The forward spent some time with Boston on 10-day contracts last summer, and if he continues to impress, the Celtics may want to keep him around, at the very least on a G-League deal.
In the paint, Mfiondu Kabengele found himself locked in a battle with Warriors big man James Wiseman all night. The Celtics center dropped 20 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, marking his second double-double in a row. He and Wiseman battled all night long, but Kabengele ended the night on top.
For the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga (29 points) and Moses Moody (21 points) led the way, continuing to improve on their under-the-radar rookie seasons. Warriors rookie Gui Santos also had a quietly impressive night off the bench, notching 12 points and eight rebounds.
The Celtics rode the wave of their 38-point first quarter, as the Warriors slowly crept their way back into the game. But in the end, Boston held on, earning the 11-point victory and notching their second win of Summer League.
Boston’s next game will take place on July 14 at 3:30 p.m. EST against the Memphis Grizzlies.
