In their second and final preseason game in Abu Dhabi, the Boston Celtics blew out the Denver Nuggets, winning by a score of 130-104. The starters played throughout the first half, helping Boston gain a comfortable lead, but it was the bench guys who solidified the Celtics’ place in front.
Boston played an all-around basketball game, fighting for great shots and executing impressive defensive rotations. After a tightly contested victory over the Nuggets in their preseason opener, the Celtics left no room for questions in this one. It was such a dominant win that there weren’t many duds, but as is always the case, room for improvement is always available.
Here are three studs and three duds from Boston’s second preseason win over Denver.
Honorable mention: Jaylen Brown looks more confident than ever, but he was the first cut from the studs list. There were just too many awesome players.
Stud - Derrick White
After a somewhat wishy-washy first preseason game, Derrick White was lighting it up this time around. He was all over the floor, and perhaps more importantly, confidence was oozing.
White finished the contest with 13 points, five rebounds, and six assists while shooting 5-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-6 from beyond the three-point line.
Obviously, White would probably want to shoot a bit better from behind the arc, but that wasn’t a huge problem in this game. He was taking good shots, and his work inside the arc stood out even more.
The Celtics guard was making plays all over the floor, including on the defensive side of the ball. These are the types of games fans should be hoping to get from White on a nightly basis.
Dud - Jayson Tatum driving
This is a bit of an awkward pick. As noted, the Celtics were so good in this game that there weren’t many players who could have been chosen as duds. Jayson Tatum was good in this game. But his driving left something to be desired.
Tatum’s new three-point shot looks very promising. He drained three of his seven three-point attempts. But he also shot 3-of-7 from inside the arc. That’s far less ideal.
At various points throughout the game, Tatum just looked a bit rushed. His looks inside the three-point line were a tad off, which is a bit unusual for the forward. He was great frmo that spot throughout the postseason last year.
Tatum still finished the game with 17 points, two rebounds, and four assists. He was awesome. That’s a fine statline, considering he only played 23:01. However, if we’re being nitpicky, the interior work could have been better.
If there were any other notable bad performances, Tatum wouldn’t be on this list. He played well against the Nuggets. But being the star means criticism gets harsher.
His new shot looks great, but that doesn’t mean Tatum should stop bullying players while getting to the rim. That needs to remain a constant.
Stud - Sam Hauser
In Boston’s first preseason game, Sam Hauser shot just 2-of-8 from behind the three-point line. It was less than ideal. But he bounced back in a big way on Sunday.
By the time he checked out for good, Hauser put up 15 points and snagged eight rebounds. He shot 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Usually, it’s Hauser’s three-point shot that determines whether or not he has a good game. That was largely the case in the first preseason game in Abu Dhabi. In the second game, Hauser was much more than his threes.
It looks fairly clear that Hauser worked on his game off the dribble this summer. He looked very comfortable putting the ball on the floor and working in the mid-range area.
He was driving on defenders and pulling up with ease, sinking most of the shots that came his way. Shot creation isn’t always going tobe Hauser’s specialty, but with some preseason freedom, he capitalized.
If he can become a player the Celtics trust to put the ball on the floor and make a couple of plays every game, it could unlock new offensive options. That would be yet another luxury in the Celtics’ lineup.
Dud - Payton Pritchard’s first minute
Okay. This is cheating.
Payton Pritchard looked solid again in this game. He was red-hot in the first game, and that continued in the second, as he once again packed the stat sheet.
Pritchard finished the game with 14 points, two rebounds, and five assists while shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from behind the three-point arc.
However, his first minute of the game was a complete disaster.
As soon as Pritchard checked in, he ended up on a mismatch, guarding Nuggets big man Dario Saric. He committed a foul, giving him one.
Shortly after, a similar situation occurred, and he picked up a second foul. Then he fouled Julian Strawther when he was going up for a shot.
In less than a minute of action, Pritchard had already accrued three of the six fouls he’s allowed to pick up. He motioned to the sideline, letting the coaching staff know that he already had three, but they left him in the game.
Obviously, this didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Pritchard stayed out of foul trouble for the remainder of the contest and played well. But it was certainly funny to watch. And in a game where the Celtics got a blowout win, that’s enough to get a dud.
Stud - Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta
Last game, Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman shared a stud selection. This time around, all three of Boston’s backup bigs earn a spot on the list. They all looked impressive in their own ways.
Kornet could be a 25-minute-per-game guy for the Celtics. He looks incredible through two preseason games, especially while playing with the starting group.
His stats don’t tell the whole story in this game. He only had five points, one rebound, and one assist, but Kornet’s work out of the short roll was incredible to watch. If he can do that during the regular season, Boston will have no issues surviving the games without Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
Tillman looked just as solid in this game. He missed a couple of layups, but his all-around impact was undeniable, especially on the offensive end.
Once again, the 25-year-old got to show off his three-point shot, and he found a nice rhythm with Queta, too. His 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists were very indicative of his all-around impact.
Lastly, Queta was somewhat quiet during his first few minutes, but once he got comfortable, he was making the right plays. He had seven points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
His work while cutting to the rim stood out, but the most impressive part of his game were the lack of fouls. Zero personal fouls in his 16:56 of action. That’s a huge win.
Dud - Lonnie Walker IV
When the Celtics signed Lonnie Walker IV late in free agency, there was a ton of buzz around the move. Everyone was very excited to see what impact the 25-year-old could make in a new situation.
But through two preseason games, it doesn’t look like the former Brooklyn Net is in line to do much next season. In fact, he’s barely gotten any playing time.
And when Walker has been on the court, it hasn’t looked great. Obviously, players have to make things happen within a few minutes, but it seems as though Walker is trying to force up too many looks.
In the second game against Denver, Walker didn’t make a shot, and almost all of the looks he threw up were in isolation. It wasn’t a very flattering performance.
Obviously, Walker always had an uphill battle if he wanted to make the Celtics roster, and he’s expressed his willingness to grind by playing with the Maine Celtics in the G League.
Well, it looks like the latter is a much more realistic reality at this point. There’s just too much talent in front of him on the Celtics roster.
Walker is a fine player, but he’s not having the best preseason so far.