The Boston Celtics are having a superb season, posting a 17-11 record after Saturday's win against the Toronto Raptors. Boston is now third in the Eastern Conference standings, a far cry from the expectations before the year started.
Since Jayson Tatum is sidelined for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Celtics lack star power. Jaylen Brown is doing well as the number one guy, but many have capped their ceiling because of Tatum's absence. Despite all the doubters, the Celtics are doing well with their impressive group of young players.
Hugo Gonzalez is impressing the coaching staff
As a rookie selected with the 28th overall pick, Hugo Gonzalez was mostly seen as a project player. Considering he is only 19, he is projected to be a player with immense potential. However, the wait shouldn't be long if he continues to play well as he has recently.
Against the Raptors, Gonzalez played 28 minutes, and he had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. It was the second leg of a back-to-back, so most people expected players to feel drained.
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That was not the case for Gonzalez because he was playing with immense energy across both nights. He was one of the most impressive players on the court, as Gonzalez was in his element with his energetic play.
"Whatever they told me was that you can't be tired because you're 19. I tried to bring the energy, I feel like we've done a great job. It's easy for me to have great energy when the team is also helping, and everybody wants the guy next to him to be successful," Gonzalez said in the post-game interview.
Mazzulla knows Gonzalez can make an impact
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla loved how his team played against the Raptors, as they were without Brown due to an illness. This left more minutes for Gonzalez to play, and he made sure to leave an impression.
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"Finding the balance of knowing how to be super aggressive vs defending without fouling, so we can keep you on the floor... He's got a great knack for the ball defensively, and he's learning how to play vs matchups, and different coverages," Mazzulla said after the win against the Raptors.
The coaching staff will be looking at Gonzalez as a rotational player in the long run. He is a young player who could be a good fit alongside a healthy Tatum. Of course, Gonzalez will have to keep working to earn his spot, but Mazzulla is taking notice.