The Boston Celtics locked down an 82-76 victory over the Sacramento Kings, closing out their Summer League regular season at a solid 3-1. It was a wire-to-wire win, and it featured one of the most insane defensive displays you're ever going to see in Summer League. Seriously, the Kings managed to put up just four points in the first quarter. Let that sink in for a second: four points. That's the lowest single-quarter score in Summer League history. Boston's defense was absolutely stifling, setting a tone that opponents just couldn't break through early in the game. It shows a commitment to getting after it on that end of the floor, and that's always an encouraging sign.
Maine On My Mind and Uzan On The Rise
While the main squad was busy making history, there's some buzz brewing around the future of the organization. Earlier in the day, reports surfaced that the Celtics had signed Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries to Exhibit 10 contracts. For those unfamiliar, these are basically non-guaranteed training camp deals, usually a fast-track to G League invites, specifically for the Maine Celtics. Uzan has been particularly impressive during this Summer League stretch. He was the lone undrafted player from the University of Houston in this class, a pleasant surprise especially when other Cougars like Kingston Flemings went #8 overall to Atlanta, Chris Cenac Jr. joined the Cs, and Emanuel Sharp headed to Sacramento. Uzan just keeps delivering, putting up another solid line last night with 13 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. You've got to wonder if he's a prime candidate to be the starting point guard up at the Portland Expo for the Maine Celtics. When asked about his conversations with the team, Uzan kept it focused, saying, "My main thought process right now is just to go out in Summer League and compete and see where it goes from there. I know I’m going to be at training camp, so I’m just trying to keep getting better and just try to add value to the team." That's the kind of hungry mindset you love to see.Free Agent Frenzy and Austin Reaves Comparisons
Not every player is looking at a clear path forward, though. John Tonje, who was part of the trade that sent Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz, played on a two-way contract with the Celtics last season. But now, he's effectively a free agent after Boston didn't pick up his option last month. Tonje can certainly stroke it, hitting 47.4% from three point range heading into the Kings game, and he kept that going by making three of seven from deep against Sacramento. The 25-year-old is definitely a capable second-side scorer, good at spot-up shooting and attacking close-outs. The big question mark is his defense, where he just lacks the athleticism to hold his ground consistently. Then there's Hugo Gonzalez, who sparked some serious debate when he was compared to Austin Reaves on a CelticsBlog Slack channel. That comparison was met with "ridicule and disgust," and it's easy to see why some might push back hard on that. Gonzalez is still a sophomore with three more years on his rookie deal, while Reaves just signed a massive four-year, $185 million max extension this summer. So yeah, Gonzalez has a long, long way to go before anyone is putting him in that category. But hey, the guy does have the tools, and you can't fault someone for seeing potential, even if it draws some strong reactions. The Celtics still have a shot to be a playoff team in this Summer League tournament, with today's games still undecided. For guys like Milos Uzan, the Summer League success is just the beginning. The real work starts at training camp, where he'll aim to build on this momentum and solidify his spot in the organization. It's all about proving value and showing that he can make an impact.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.