Matt Reynolds: Hugo Gonzalez SET TONE for Celtics on Defense | FULL INTERVIEW

Matt Reynolds: Hugo Gonzalez SET TONE for Celtics on Defense | FULL INTERVIEW

of a floor where on one side you can see him be just a total defensive pest and then at the other it seemed like especially as the game went on we saw more from his floor vision. Yeah, I would say uh Ugo and the whole team were just, you know, pressuring relentlessly the whole game. That’s what we asked them to do and uh I think he ended up on the ball handlers a lot, you know, particularly down the stretch. You could see that he was kind of wearing it a little bit, but uh that was an excellent tone that that he and our back court set throughout the course of the game. And then, you know, you could just tell that he was developing a bit of a a feel for the way they were guarding, the way that our team, you know, needed to play. And I thought that he created some advantages whether uh that we didn’t capitalize on something. He might have just had a a tough roll around the rim or a kick out that we missed, but I thought he he was really composed down the stretch. Talk a little bit about how you don’t have a traditional point guard on this roster. How did that opportunity? Yeah, I would say I would consider Max Schulga a traditional point guard. I think he’s uh pretty composed. I mean, Baylor and Ugo uh both, I would say, are are, you know, not in that category, but at the same time, like I don’t I don’t know that labeling changes what they’re able to do. Yeah, I I I think these reps are excellent for them and I I don’t think it’s uh unexpected that they play well. Uh I you know, Memphis is a is a pretty heavy ball pressure team. I thought that they handled the back court pressure well. There were some moments uh throughout the course of the game where we got a little frazzled, but I I think for the most part, we we showed pretty good composure. Our bigs did a good job of giving our our ball handlers some space and those guys made plays when it mattered. Charles wasn’t on your guys’ roster. We came in and gave you a double double. What was the process of getting him here? Yeah. So, so we uh found out he was going to join the team uh shortly before we got started uh with day one and you know, he did not participate in the live portion day one. Uh but he came in day two again as we talked about earlier you know terminology and concepts he was behind in that regard but it was just clear that you know that guy can make an impact in a game and you saw that throughout the course of the game today and uh you know I think he was huge for us. Yeah I know that this is still soon maybe to to say that but what kind of role do you envision for Ugo on the on the floor as he as he like becomes more more familiar with the system? Yeah, I mean for the summer league team, I’d say what you saw tonight or this afternoon is exactly what we’re looking for him to do. Pressure the ball, space the floor, be ready to shoot, handle the ball, make plays for others, attack the basket. Again, I thought his uh aggression attacking the paint was excellent and and some plays he finished, some plays he didn’t. And you know, I think that’s going to kind of even out going forward. Yeah. What about over the core? How are you seeing him like in terms of relationship with his teammates like uh like getting to know the franchise? How are you how are you seeing UO? Uh great. you know, you we’re all in and once you get out to Vegas, we all kind of don’t get uh together all that often. We had a team dinner last night and he’s, you know, sitting around a table laughing with some of the some of the guys and that’s what you want to see. Uh we’re kind of manufacturing teamm team chemistry over the course of a two three week summer league experience and you know that’s just kind of how it works and I think those the guys are making the best of it. You’ve been on the bench for a long time but first time as a head coach. Uh what was different about being the one to be standing and kind of yelling things out and what was that experience like for you? Personally not having a a monitor to look back at so many plays that you have questions about. Uh you just kind of have to process the game in real time whereas like in my particular role I’m often kind of looking back to see what happened either on offense or defense, communicating with the the front bench coaches. Uh otherwise it’s you know much more communication with the players. That’s I would say that’s uh the biggest thing that I felt is uh making sure we get uh our point guards get us in the right stuff. Uh we’re continuing to pressure the ball. Something you know player has a question. They’re coming to me. That that happens very rarely. Uh if at all during the the regular season uh but those I would say were the main things. Did you have to kind of figure out if you were going to be a yeller or like more quieter or is that something that just like you just have an instinct? Like did you have to talk to different people and figure out like what your communication style was going to be? Just kind of happened. I would say uh I was louder out there than I typically would consider myself to be. Um in practice, I was also had moments where I felt uh compelled to to let a couple yells out and that’s that’s not normally my nature. Um but that’s what our that’s what the game calls for. What stood out to you from Jordan today? I mean, you can just tell that he has a good feel for what he needs to do to to impact winning. Whether that be hawking on ball defense, you could tell that that’s what he took pride in. but run and pick and roll, making great reads. I thought his decision- making was excellent and then knocking down some shots. I I don’t think uh there was a hole in his game. Again, I think our team in general, we we got we drove into to a crowd a little bit, but that may have been some off ball spacing that we can clean up going forward. Charles, when you bring a guy like that in, do you have an idea of like how much? Uh that’s not really my call. you know, my my uh job along with our coaching staff is is to try to maximize uh this roster and he’s a great player and he’s helping us at summer league. Max took on more playmaking responsibilities at VCU last year. What have you seen just in terms of how comfortable he’s become running, especially the pick and roll and being able to initiate the offense? Yeah, I trust him a lot. Uh I, you know, I’ve only been around him for a week. Um, so I I don’t know that I would say he’s progressed more than what I saw right out of the gate. But but as I said, uh, when I first spoke about him, I think he’s does everything pretty well. So, he’s very solid and, you know, you know what you’re getting with him and I think he’s only going to improve as the course of summer league and the rest of his career goes on. And then you talk about the guards setting the tone defensively, especially in the back court. I mean, he was someone they couldn’t shake him on screens and everything. What did you see from just the pressure he’s able to apply the length of the floor? Yeah. Now, that’s something we did see uh from him at VCO as well, where I kind of talked to him about some of their rules about backcourt pressure, whatever. And, you know, we don’t necessarily have rules as much as just these guys get up and pressure the ball. And that you could tell that that’s something that he, you know, kind of gravitate gravitates towards. And, uh, we’re happy to unleash that part of them. Speed things up. How do you feel like that? Uh, I think it went really well. Um, we’re we’re challenging our our our defense to be very aggressive. We’re challenging our guys to run the floor. Um, so, you know, it’s a a pressure aspect on defense and a fast aspect as aspect on offense. And I think our guys really bought into that and I I think it uh contributed quite a bit to the win today. Flick time.

LAS VEGAS — Celtics Summer League head coach Matt Reynolds praised Hugo González after his debut performance, highlighting the rookie’s defensive energy:

“Hugo and the whole team were just pressuring relentlessly the whole game. That was an excellent tone that he & our backcourt set.”

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