4 takeaways as Boston Celtics beat Grizzlies in Summer League opener

The Celtics opened Summer League play Friday with a 92-78 win over the Grizzlies. They went up big early, and while the Grizzlies came back to make it a game, the C’s finished off the victory to improve to 1-0 at Las Vegas.

While there were some questions on how much first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez would play, he got the start Friday alongside the other two rookies in Amari Williams and Max Shulga. The Celtics’ also went with Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman to round out the starting five against the Grizzlies.

It was clear the Celtics wanted to play with pace as they flew up and down the floor in transition throughout the game. The C’s built up a big lead in the second quarter before the Grizzlies rallied to make it a game. But Boston went on a long run late to put the finishing touches on the blowout.

Walsh led the way with 17 points for the Celtics; Gonzalez added 12 points and five assists his C’s debut. GG Jackson had 16 points for the Grizzlies while Cam Spencer added another 15.

The Celtics are back in action against the Knicks at 5:30 p.m. Sunday for their next Summer League game. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Memphis:

First look: Gonzalez made his presence known immediately as he got a put-back layup on the first possession of the game. Notably, he was also willing to put up 3-pointers as he finished 4-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from deep. The 19-year-old’s activity level was apparent as he’s also a fun guy to watch run out in transition, plus he banked in a 3-pointer late. There are certainly still some areas to clean up, like his three turnovers, but the Spaniard impressed in his Boston debut.

Showing out: Where Walsh fits on this Celtics roster is one of the more intriguing question marks this Summer League. The C’s made plenty of changes this summer, meaning a guy like Walsh could get more playing time with the main club. Walsh, 21, looked the part in his third Summer League. He looked like one of the best players on the court for stretches Friday as the Celtics hope his positive development continues going forward. Walsh shot 6-for-12 from the field and 3-for-6 on 3-pointers.

Unexpected addition: Summer League rosters can change in an instant as that’s what happened Friday. The C’s added former Spurs big man Charles Bassey to the squad as he got some run Friday. Boston notably is thin at center, so the 6-foot-10 Bassey is at least a guy worth watching closely going forward. Bassey finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks as he had some nice plays Friday while being a physical inside presence.

Checking in: It was a forgettable shooting day for Scheierman, who finished with eight points and five rebounds but finished just 2-for-14 from the field (1-for-8 on 3s). Like his teammates, Scheierman was unafraid to let the shots play — especially from deep. Making them was another issue, though. Shulga had five points and three assists while Williams put up nine points and three rebounds. Miles Norris, who was on a two-way contract last season, came off the bench to play 21 minutes, finishing with eight points and five rebounds. Kenny Lofton also finished with 11 points; he shot 1-for-8 from the field but did go 9-for-11 from the free throw line.