Boston’s 2nd Summer League game took place at Cox Pavillion Las Vegas, against the Washington Wizard’s and the 7th overall pick of the 2023 draft, French wing, Bilal Coulibaly. Both team’s got out of the gate quickly as it was a track meet to start with plenty of fast break play and very little defensive stops in an entertaining 1st quarter. JD Davison fresh off a new two-way contract with Boston, got the fast break ball rolling with a dunk off the opening tip.
Justin Champagnie struggled in game 1, but JD Davison found the guard on the streaking break and finishing on the break under 7-foot Tristain Vukevic. As was the case in Game 1, Jay Scrubb made an immediate impact once more off the bench hitting on his first 2 buckets including a step back triple and a nifty drive and finish over outstretched Wizards defenders. Scrubb would pace the Celtics into the lead with 7 points as the Celtics would take a 25-22 lead through one. Olek Balcerowski provided the big highlight of the quarter on a one-footed step-back three at the buzzer also logging 7 points of his own.
Former Clipper Jay Scrubb was brilliant in the 2nd quarter (12 first half points) showing that he deserves a spot on an NBA roster, who when not scoring was handing out assists as he found Micahel Mulder for a quick taken three-pointer which would give Boston a 6-point lead midway through the 2nd. Bench bigman Udoka Azubukie was hustling late in the quarter registering consecutive dunks as the Wizards painted area opened up for the former Utah Jazz number 20 pick in front of Celtics Hall of Fame legend Paul Pierce.
Rookie and Celtics 2nd-round pick Jordan Walsh had a very quiet first half Jordan Walsh going 0-4 from three and just 1-8 from the field, as the wing had very different game from his Miami showing. JD Davison also struggled for stretches of the half, forcing 3 turnovers which spurred Washington to get back in the game as the first half closed 52-51 Boston.
Boston went zone to start the 2nd half and Jordan Walsh got creative with a neat behind the back pass to G-Leaguer Justin Bean waiting in the corner to hit a three. Later in the quarter, in some nice team play, Balcerowski at the top of the key neatly outletted to a cutting Jordan Walsh who got free with a head fake and 2-point bucket. Walsh would then return the favour distributing back the Polish big man for a neat layin. JD Davison would attack the rim hard in the third, with an explosive dunk over 7-foot Vukevic as the highlights kept rolling.
As far as Summer League games go, this was another entertaining and competitive outing for Boston as the Wizards made a game of it in the third locking in defensively to claw back into it. Boston’s execution was flawed as Washington feasted on Boston’s 15 turnovers, 9 of which came at the hand of JD Davison alone, as the Wizards finished the third strong 80-75 with 24 points coming from Boston’s turnovers.
The Celtics faded in the fourth with the main takeaway being, developmentally, most of these players have a ways to go as the points dried up for Boston. The Celtics would mount a comeback to get back with 4 points behind the play of both Champagnie and Azubuike, providing an entertaining finale. However, Washington would do enough to hold on for the win as Boston would lose it’s second game in two days. For the C’s, Champagnie put together a pretty complete game to lead the team with 21 points and 12 rebounds, Scrubb would end it with 15 points, Azubuike 14 points, rookie Jordan Walsh had 12 points and Balcerowski logged 11 points. Boston next play the Lakers Wednesday as look to get a first Summer League win.
