The Summer Celtics took on the Toronto Raptors in the 9pm slot at the Pavilion, Las Vegas Friday night. Game 1 of the 2026 Summer League tournament. The first half was awful as both teams struggled from the field, but the second half provided
Celtics fans got a first chance to take a look at Chris Cenac Jr and Dillon Mitchell as they both made pro debuts. Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams return to Vegas for their second year in green. Boston started Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell, Hugo Gonzalez,
with John Tonje and Curtis Jones in back court. Toronto started off the more cohesive of the two sides taking an early 7-0 lead.
Amari Williams hit his single free throw for two points under the newly implemented G-League rules to get Boston on the board, but the team did not have a field goal until the 5-minute mark, as Hugo splashed home a corner triple, Tonje with the look ahead assist. Rookie Dillon Mitchell showed his athleticism with a massive chase down block, and had to duck under the rim after, as he was that elevated.
First round pick Chris Cenac Jr. checked into the game for Amari Williams, strange to see the 26th pick not start for the team’s first Summer League game. Cenac made an immediate impact with a big tomahawk throw down dunk, Boston back in the game 10-14.
Amile Jefferson was handed the Summer League coaching duties for the first time for Boston and I’m sure the Celtics media scrum will ask why they didn’t start the big man who fell to them in the draft. Amari checked back into the contest alongside Cenac Jr. as the team went double big.
Toronto had 7 foot 5 inch big man Jamarion Sharp who provided quite the interior presence for the Raps. Amari had a brilliant help block on Brandon Angel, Cenac dunked it home down the other end as the Boston bench was up shouting their approval. Boston shot just 23 percent from the field to start the game, as the Raptor led the game by 2 points, 14-16.
Milos Uzan, Hank Morgan, Amari Williams, Hugo Gonzalez and Chris Cenac Jr. started the second quarter for Boston as Jayson Tatum appeared court side to watch the young players. Tatum was courtside along with Derrick White, Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta. Dillon Mitchell finally got on the scoreboard as he skied for a back door alley oop. Hugo Gonzalez was back to his best, throwing himself around the court, he got bodied hard by big man Sharp midway through the second quarter hitting the deck.
Boston registered 11 turnovers in the first half and continued to shoot poorly at just 15 percent. The Summer Celtics struggled to put the ball in the basket, as the Raptors had 10 blocks and counting through just 20 minutes. Boston had 17 straight throughout the second quarter.
Coach Mazzulla was in the building to watch the new players from the sidelines chatting it up with Alabama head coach Nate Oates. Dillon Mitchell finally converted a bucket for Boston to break the scoring drought and he also woke up the crowd with an athletic put back dunk in transition. Boston down somehow by just 8 points, 26-34 in a dreadful first half performance.
Boston started the second half picking up the Raptors full court, that immediately resulted in a turnover. Tonje nailed a corner three. Hugo found Amari for a neat assist on the interior, Mitchell snagged a Raptor pass as the Celtics were showing signs of fight. Amari Williams attacked the paint once more and drew a foul for the hoop and harm, he led the C’s with 12 points. John Tonje hit his second three of the game to cut the Toronto lead to 5 points.
Boston was playing much harder in the second half, but the Summer League squad was chasing the scoreboard and Toronto kept the pressure on. Chris Cenac Jr. had a crazy ambitious put back dunk attempt from the middle of the key and laid out his team mate and fellow rookie Dillon on the play.
Hugo and Amari were clicking for Boston in the third quarter as the pair were cutting up the Tornto defenders. John Tonje showed his shooting touch to hit his fourth triple of the night to cut it to three points, 48-51. Amari was on heater, he converted his eighteenth point of the game as Boston finally took their first lead of the game.
Boston outscored the Raptors by eight in the quarter highlighted by a 14-3 run as the scores ended tied after three at 54. Cenac Jr. showed his outside touch with his first three-pointer of the game. The Rookie followed that up with two illegal screens and was sent to the bench.
The Raptors jumped back out to a 5 point lead to start the fourth quarter as Boston got a touch careless. Tonje was fouled shooting a three and converted the single free throw for 3 points. Cenac Jr. checked back in the contest and immediately drew a foul running the floor in transition, Boston back 64-64.
Amari Williams hit his 20th point of the game as the Summer Celtics retook the lead. Boston in the midst of a 7-0 run and followed that play forcing a 24-second violation which drew applause from the Tatum and Walsh courtside.
Cenac Jr. drove baseline on Graves and layed it in for Boston he had 11 points, 68-67. Both teams traded buckets down the stretch as we headed into the final minute with a one point game. Graves hit a triple, Tonje responded as Boston was down one point 74-75 with 29 seconds to go in the game. Cenac Jr. hit a triple with 0.8 seconds to go off a broken play. Cenac Jr.’s triple forced overtime in Las Vegas.
After a bonkers fourth quarter, the lead changed hands eight times, Jefferson started Cenac Jr., Amari Williams, John Tonje, Hugo Gonzalez and Milos Uzan in overtime. Hugo gave the C’s a lead 81-80 from the line. John Tonje provided one of the plays of the game though, as he stole the ball and went coast to coast for the two-handed dunk and the game winning basket. Boston prevail in overtime 83-80. Boston next play the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
