The Boston Celtics closed out the preseason with a 125-120 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The result gave Boston a perfect 4-0 record heading into the regular season.
The circumstances made the win notable. Philadelphia started LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. Boston sat Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and the rest of its regular rotation. The Celtics trailed by 14 in the second half.
Then Hugo González took over.
González Saved His Best for Last
Second-year guard Hugo González came off the bench and led the Celtics with 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, adding four rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 19 minutes. He connected on three of seven attempts from deep and did not commit a single turnover.
The 20-year-old played with a confidence level that has grown visibly since last season.
He attacked the rim against taller defenders, pulled up for a contested three over Maxey, and made his presence felt on the defensive end early when he took the ball from Brown and converted a dunk in transition.
After the final buzzer, Brown walked straight to González to shake his hand.
“It was good to see some of the young guys,” Brown told reporters. “To see them develop and get better, it’s good to see.”
What the Preseason Numbers Show
The 76ers game was not an outlier.
González was a consistent performer across all four preseason outings, converting better than 55 percent of his threes and over 63 percent from the field overall. He averaged 14.5 points while showing a polished catch-and-shoot game and a pull-up stroke that was not part of his toolkit as a rookie.
The improvement did not start in October. González spent the summer playing for Spain in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers before leading the Celtics in scoring during Summer League. The reps across different stages and settings have produced results that are hard to ignore.
Why It Matters for the Celtics
Boston needs young players to develop. With Brown gone and the roster built around Tatum, contributors have to emerge from the margins.
González earned immediate respect from the fanbase last season with his defensive energy and effort. What has changed is the offensive game. The shooting is more reliable. The ball-handling is tighter. The willingness to create for himself in contested moments is new. All of it points toward a real rotation role this season.
Final Word for the Celtics
González finished the preseason with impressive numbers. He passed the eye test.
The regular season will test whether it holds up. The moments will be bigger and the margin thinner. But González earned the chance to prove he belongs.
Year 2 starts now.
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