Celtics 94, Knicks 81: Scenes from a Vegas summertime slugfest

It’s go time for the baby Knicks.

Summer League can often be a tantalizing time of year for NBA fans.

As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Rookies often headline the biggest games, but teams get to showcase all of their up-and-coming talent, thrusting players into larger roles that might not get a chance to prove themselves at the NBA level. Sure, it passes as developmental, but Summer League is all about making your name stick. It’s less results oriented, and success (usually) isn’t measured in wins and losses; it’s about finding out who has what it takes to play at this level. First- and second-year players traditionally show up to Vegas to try and show their franchises why they’re deserving of a role now. So do some older vets who have never found their footing in the league.

While the cast of characters can vary, one thing is for sure; if you’re looking to prove yourself deserving to your front office, Summer League is a pretty darn good place to do it.

Especially when you’re buried at the bottom of ex-coach Tom Thibodeau’s bench. Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti, and Kevin McCullar Jr. were all selected in last year’s draft. All four played few meaningful minutes over the course of the season. There’s a lot to be intrigued about all four of them; unfortunately, there’s also a lot that we don’t know.

Thow in Mohamed Diawara, the Knicks’ only selection from this year’s draft (taken 51st), intriguing UDFA signing Dink Pate, former second round pick James Nnaji,and Marjon Beauchamp, a two-way signing from last season, and there’s a lot of reasons to keep tabs on this summer’s squad.

Well, time to prove yourselves. After a mostly disappointing opening game against the Pistons on Friday, one in which the Knicks shot 6-27 from downtown, New York looked to rebound against the Boston Celtics this evening.

Ultimately, they did not, losing by the score of 94 to 81, but there were a lot of takeaways from tonight’s game.

There was good. There was bad. And there was definitely ugly.

The good:

Kevin McCullar Jr.’s scoring

McCullar shined as a scorer in 28 minutes of play, shooting 10-15 from the field and going 9-10 from the charity stripe. Don’t let his six turnovers and eight (!!!) fouls fool you; he had it going tonight.

You’ll see he had the majority of his points generated by driving to the rim, and his finishing ability and high motor were evident all game. After missing most of last season (including last year’s Summer League), it’ll be interesting to see if McCullar can make his mark with the parent club this season on a two-way deal.

Ariel Hukporti’s paint presence

Hukporti showed some real flashes his rookie year with New York, and today he showed why he could really contribute this year to the Knicks.

Watch this:

Huk’s rebounding, rim protecting, and hard-set screens all looked NBA level today. With a year under his belt, new coach Mike Brown might be inclined to give him consistent minutes if he can continue to improve.

The bad

Tyler Kolek’s… everything

All of New York is rooting for Kolek to succeed after watching him dominate the Big East with Marquette for three years. He’s a fan favorite, and Coach Thibs’ reluctance to play him only made Kolek more endearing to the fanbase. Unfortunately, he turned in his second straight dud of Summer League, and what a stinker it was. 3 points on 1-13 shooting. 4 assists. 4 turnovers. Yikes. Let’s just forget this one ever happened.

MarJon Beauchamp’s offense

For a guy expected to make his mark at the NBA level as a scorer, 0 points on 0-5 from the field in 16 minutes of play just won’t cut it. Beauchamp looked more confident in Thursday’s matchup against the Pistons; let’s see if he can right the ship on Tuesday against the Nets.

The ugly

Injuries

This is a header you never want to see on a Summer League post.

James Nnaji left the game with lower back tightness. Pacome Dadiet left the game with left foot soreness. Kevin McCullar took an absolute shot to the face while wearing a protective mask.

Let’s err on the right side of healthy, please. Tread carefully, folks.

As stated, your Summer League Knicks next appear on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets. Let’s hope for health and a game to walk away inspired by.