Celtics suffer first loss of Summer League play in 102-90 loss to Atlanta Hawks

To start Summer League play, the Boston Celtics let their more experienced players run the show. Celtics guard Hugo Gonzalez, center Amari Williams, and guard John Tonje — who all entered games for the Green Team last regular season — logged major minutes. The C’s went 2-0 with those guys in action, but they opted to let their most “senior” players, Gonzalez and Williams, rest for Monday night’s showdown with the Atlanta Hawks. As a result, Boston trailed by as many as 29 points and eventually suffered a 102-90 loss to Atlanta.

This is largely standard procedure, as teams often let their newest or most unproven players see the court more towards the end of Summer League. However, Tonje still played, but the Green Team’s leading Summer League scorer heading into the game managed just 5 points in 20 minutes.

Boston did get some production from its rookies, though. Forward Chris Cenac Jr. — who the Celtics selected with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — tallied 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Dillon Mitchell, who went to the Celtics in the second round of the draft, notched 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. He shot 50 percent from the field and even made a few outside shots, which was one of the biggest question marks surrounding his game in college.

As for the Hawks, guard Kobe Johnson (the younger brother of Hawks star Jalen Johnson) dazzled with a game-high 30 points off the bench. The Celtics never scored more than 30 points in a single quarter.

The Celtics’ Summer League slate in Sin City continues on Wednesday night with a contest against the Sacramento Kings. After that, Boston will have another game versus an opponent that’s yet to be determined.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics suffer first loss of Summer League play in 102-90 loss to Atlanta Hawks