Gonzaga duo leads Boston Celtics to victory in NBA Summer League

The reconnection between former Gonzaga men’s basketball standouts Anton Watson and Killian Tillie was felt throughout the Boston Celtics’ 89-84 win over the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League on Wednesday.

The pair of Zags started alongside one another — something that never happened during the 2019-20 season together at Gonzaga — and fueled the defending champion’s attack from start to finish as they combined to score 26 points. Watson’s 15 points and three 3-pointers led the team while Tillie chipped in 11 points in his first summer league start since 2022. Together they made 10 of their combined 17 field goal attempts.

The duo set the tone early with three-straight attempts from 3-point range in Boston’s first three possessions. Watson drilled the first, a wide-open look from the corner, before Tillie connected moments later from the top of the key. The 6-foot-9 Frenchman had eight points in the first half; Watson had five following a quiet second quarter.

The second half started much like the first — Watson scored the first five points, including a 25-foot 3-pointer, followed by a defensive stand from Tillie on the other end that led to another opportunity for Watson from outside. After the 6-foot-8 forward couldn’t connect with JD Davidson on the handoff, he turned to face the basket and found himself distanced from his defender Jake Stephens, prompting Watson to let it loose for his second made triple of the night.

Watson, who attempted two 3-pointers in his first two summer league games, was more aggressive looking for his shot from behind the arc Wednesday as he went 3-of-9 from downtown. Most of those were uncontested. 

Down four entering the fourth quarter, Boston regained the lead for the first time since the second quarter with Tillie on the floor and playing solid minutes on both ends. Jordan Walsh checked in for Tillie with just under seven minutes left, just before Watson entered the game as well to potentially close out the Celtics’ second summer league win.

Watson, who finished college as the third-winningest player in Gonzaga history, showcased his winning pedigree with hustle plays on both ends of the floor down the stretch. After he rejected Zavier Simpson’s layup attempt, he knocked down a pull-up jumper to tie the game at 77 with just under three minutes remaining.

As Boston clung to a 2-point lead in the final minute, Watson tracked down a crucial defensive rebound off a miss from Simpson. The ensuing trip down the floor, the Spokane native beat every Charlotte player to another key rebound that extended the Celtics’ possession, which resulted in two made free-throws from Jaelen House to make it 84-80 with 36 seconds left in regulation. 

Boston, which trailed by as many as eight points, closed the game on a 17-7 scoring run.

Watson’s understanding of situational basketball and Tillie’s timely shotmaking helped the Celtics improve to 2-1 in summer league with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at 1:30 p.m. PST (ESPNU). 

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