Aaron Nesmith Was A Flamethrower And Other Takeaways From Celtics' Summer League Win Over Nuggets
By Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- As a disclaimer, Summer League results should be taken with a grain of salt. But after watching Aaron Nesmith drain three after three after three Tuesday night in Las Vegas, it's hard not to get a little bit excited for the Celtics' second-year wing.
Nesmith exploded for 33 points in Boston's 107-82 win over the Summer Nuggets, canning seven threes on the evening. Efficiency was the name of his game on Tuesday night, as Nesmith hit 13 of his 18 attempts, missing just two of his triples.
While he was an absolute flamethrower from downtown, Nesmith also showed off his full array of shots in Boston's victory. He knocked down both of his pull-up attempts, put in a trio of layups and even had a tip-in during his monster evening.
It was the perfect way for Nesmith to put his 5-for-14 summer debut (which included a woeful 1-for-8 performance from three-point range) behind him.
"In the gym yesterday, I made sure I went through the same routine. I changed nothing, kept the same confidence in my shot, and then came out today and just shot it the way that I know I can every day," he told reporters after Boston's second straight win in Summer League action.
After a slow start to his rookie season, Nesmith came on strong for the Celtics late in the year. He even earned some important minutes during Boston's brief existence in the 2021 postseason.
He didn't have a Summer League upon entering the NBA, but Nesmith should benefit greatly from the experience he's getting in Vegas heading into Year 2 with the Celtics.
Payton Pritchard Had It Going
The second-year guard must have gotten wind of the team signing Dennis Schroder and (insert Michael Jordan meme here) taken that personally. Pritchard had an awesome all-around performance against Denver, flirting with a triple-double by dropping 21 points, dishing out 12 assists and pulling down eight rebounds.
Pritchard's ball movement has been superb in his two Summer League games, dishing out 17 assists to just one turnover. He's also 11-for-20 from deep out in Vegas.
Romeo's Highlight Jam
Romeo Langford had a quiet scoring night, going 2-for-4 and finishing with eight points, but two of those points were of the ferocious variety.
Bonus points for the stare down after the jam.
Bruno Fernando Checks In
Fernando joined the Celtics in the three-team trade with Atlanta and Sacramento, and was a late addition to the Summer League roster. He debuted Tuesday, and the third-year center made a solid first impression.
Over 15 minutes, Fernando hit four of his five shots (all of which were a fingernail away from the basket) for nine points. He only had two rebounds, mostly because no one was missing shots during his time on the floor. But he brought some energy in the paint, and could be a deep contributor off the Boston bench.
Or, he's bumping up his trade stock, as the Celtics are reportedly looking into trading him and Kris Dunn, who was also acquired in that three-team swap.
The Celtics resume their summer fun in Vegas Thursday night against the Orlando Magic.
