Blog

The Boston Celtics kicked off their summer league play in Orlando today with a 73 – 65 victory over the Western Conference Champion Oklahoma City Thunder. This was the Celtics’ first look at a number of players, including coveted rookies Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph. None of the rookies would start the game, but each would see a significant amount of playing time coming off of the bench.

Jared Sullinger led the way for the 2012 draft picks in terms of and offensive production, as he led all scorers with 20 points.  Sullinger entered the game towards the end of the first quarter and got off to a hot start; his first NBA touch was an offensive board followed by a layup over a number of Thunder defenders. An offensive board alone was a welcome sight, as the Celtics struggled on the offensive glass all season in 2011-2012.  Sullinger would finish with 6 rebounds to go along with 20 points on 6-12 shooting. While the big man out of Ohio State had a solid statistical night, he showed signs of immaturity at times, air balling two of his three three-point attempts. But when he was in the box banging with the Thunder big men, it was very evident how strong and able-bodied he is. Look for him to continue to develop at the power forward position and learn to play some center as an undersized, yet athletic post player.

Kris Joseph, the second round pick out of Syracuse, played 17 minutes in today’s victory. While his stat line doesn’t show it, Joseph’s play certainly exceeded expectations, as his hustle and defense helped slow down the Thunder scorers. He finished the game with 7 points on a dismal 3-8 from the field and 0-2 beyond the arc; but he crashed the glass well, snagging 4 boards. His defense frustrated the Thunder offense as he finished the day with two steals. Joseph has the potential to be a key bench player this season for the Celtics.  Hopefully he will be able to learn from Paul Pierce and continue to bring energy to areas that the C’s struggled in last season.

Fab Melo is still an under-developed basketball player who will need time in the league before he can use his size effectively. Although Melo saw only 14 minutes of action today, there were some promising plays made by the seven foot Brazilian on the defensive end, including two blocks. He is going to need time to learn the game at the professional level, and rookie timidness is to be expected, but under Kevin Garnett’s tutelage he could very well develop into a solid low post player for the Celtics for years to come.

Chance Cook is a new blogger at Celtic Nation.  Be sure to follow him on Twitter @TheChanceCook