The Boston Celtics started Day Three of Orlando Pro Summer League play with a quick dunk by Tony Gaffney after the opening tip and didn’t look back, blowing out the Charlotte Bobcats by a 92-71 final. Point guard Matt Janning, who did not play at all yesterday, made the most of his 25 minutes today. He led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, with a combination of outside jumpers and aggressive inside finishes. Combo forward Deshawn Sims was another surprise breakout contributor for the Celtics, with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Less surprising? The play of Luke Harangody, who continued his strong play for Boston, adding 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Boston dominated the glass, holding a 33-23 advantage overall and a commanding 15-2 edge in the first period.
Celtics’ Janning And Sims Break Out, Lead Boston To 92-71 Blowout Of Bobcats
The bright spots for Charlotte are hard to find. Its lax perimeter defense allowed Janning and Jaycee Carroll to get to wherever they wanted on the floor. Gerald Henderson, one of the top players though the first two days, missed 7 of his 9 shots and scored just 7 points. Jeremy Pargo scored 10 points and handed out 8 assists. Derrick Brown led them in scoring with 12 points, but even he seemed less active than normal.
The Celtics have to feel good about this effort. The combination of Carroll and Janning, either of whom can handle the ball or play off it, can keep defenses off balance. Both merit closer looks as play continues.
More and more, Harangody looks like a bargain with the 52nd overall pick in this year’s draft. Though he’ll struggle to get his shot off against NBA-caliber defenders, he plays intelligently, hard, and unselfishly. He’s good enough to be a 12th man on a contending team, and maybe in the rotation of a lesser one. Considering how infrequently second-round draft choices turn out to be competent contributors, that’s solid.
