Celtics Share What They Took From Hugo Gonzalez’s Milestone Afternoon

Detroit — On Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, Hugo Gonzalez became the third player in Boston Celtics history to start a game before turning 20, per the X account @Celtics_Stats. The organization’s first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft joins Al Jefferson and Jayson Tatum on a short list for a storied franchise.

The rookie immediately made his presence felt as a member of the first unit. Gonzalez came from behind to block the uber-athletic Ausar Thompson on the Detroit Pistons’ first possession. The next time down the floor, when Jalen Duren tried leaving the ball for Duncan Robinson, the Madrid native fought over the screen and got to the ball first. Less than 1:30 into his first career start, he already had registered a rejection and a steal.

He accounted for four of the first nine turnovers forced by Boston, including drawing an offensive foul on Duren. Beyond that, Gonzalez was picking up Cade Cunningham full-court, and he was difficult to dislodge on screens. Even when Detroit did, he recovered quickly, negating any potential numbers advantage.

“I thought he’s provided great energy, defensively, battling great guards, and he’s providing a spark for us,” Payton Pritchard told Forbes after Gonzalez’s first start. “He’s been great.”

Along with Pritchard, the rookie’s motor and mentality are quickly making a favorable impression on the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.

“I like Hugo. I like Hugo’s mentality,” Jaylen Brown voiced to Forbes post-game. “I like how he comes out; he’s ready to go. He knows his role. And he can play. So, we’re gonna need more of that. He’s gonna continue to learn as he gets better, as he grows, but that’s what we need.”

Hugo Gonzalez is changing the equation

NBA offenses are predicated on creating a numbers advantage. The easiest way to do so is with a pick-and-roll. That can lead to playing five-on-four, four-on-three. It can create scenarios where the defense has to pick its poison. For instance, making the low man choose between tagging the big as he rolls to the basket or closing out to a shooter in the corner. It’s the most sure-fire path to consistently generating quality shots.

What Gonzalez showcased with Real Madrid, with the Sin City Celtics at Summer League, and now at the start of his NBA career is that he is going to fight with everything he has to prevent that advantage every single time.

He defends with a combination of aggression, strength, and long strides that allow him to cover ground quickly. It’s a joy to watch a ball hawk who is assertive on defense.

From full-court pressing Jalen Brunson in Friday’s loss to the New York Knicks to drawing Cade Cunningham as his opening assignment against the Pistons, Gonzalez is quickly earning Joe Mazzulla’s trust against the opposition’s best perimeter player.

“At the end of the day, just continuing to build that defensive mindset,” Mazzulla told Forbes after the Celtics’ 119-113 loss at Little Caesars Arena. “Give us what we need defensively. So, he did a great job of that tonight.

“He’s able to get through screens, and he can kind of give D. White, and Payton, and Jaylen a little break on the on-ball stuff there, and have him do it. So, it was good that he was able to do that. He’s going to continue to develop that mentality.”

As he does, the 19-year-old has rapidly ascended from not playing on opening night to starting two tilts later. He has done so while adapting to a dramatically different style of play compared to the ACB, one that operates at a much faster pace. One wouldn’t know the significant extent of that adjustment based on how well he’s acclimating.

To see the impact Gonzalez is already having speaks to a quick learner, with a burning desire to maximize his talents, and a motor that runs non-stop. There’s no telling how much his game will grow this season. However, that plot line has identified itself as one of the most intriguing for Boston this year.

And as Jayson Tatum looked on and saw that combination from the Celtics’ bench, what he witnessed was a new teammate who, after all the departures this offseason, can help the franchise reach the NBA summit again when the star forward returns to the lineup.