The Celtics lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the Las Vegas Summer League as Henri Veesaar stole the show.
The Boston Celtics suffered a 12-point loss on Monday night in the Las Vegas Summer League, falling 102-90 against the Atlanta Hawks.
With one regular season Summer League contest remaining, the Celtics are now 2-1. The Hawks are 3-0.
Here's what you need to know.
Multiple key Celtics sit out
Amari Williams, who helped fuel a game one win for the C's in the Las Vegas session, didn't play. Neither did Hugo Gonzalez. The second-year player appears to be done for the Summer League after two games. Remember, he also suited up for Spain in FIBA competition recently, so he hasn't had a full offseason.
Rookies deliver uneven performances
Chris Cenac Jr., selected in the first round of the NBA Draft out of Houston, bounced back from a more limited impact in the second game on Monday. He had 16 points and five rebounds, going 6-of-13 from the floor. However, he was 0-for-2 from three-point range and also had five turnovers. He had four blocks and two assists, continuing to show off his athleticism.
Dillon Mitchell, taken in the second round out of St. John's, had 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Also athletic, he had four rebounds, two assists and two turnovers. For the second straight game, he was active on the offensive glass, securing three offensive rebounds.
Too many turnovers
The Celtics had 18 assists and 18 turnovers. A one-to-one ratio in that department is never good enough.
What they missed out on
Henri Veesaar of North Carolina, who wasn't drafted until pick No. 52, showed the Celtics what they missed out on in this contest. The stretch big man had 20 points in just 23 minutes, going 7-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three-point range.
He added four rebounds and three assists. We liked him as a fit for the Celtics, but they elected to go with the athleticism of Cenac and Mitchell.
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) bites his jersey against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesAlso in the news for the Celtics
--As noted by our own Teren Kowatsch, Celtics guard Derrick White was present at Summer League on Sunday, serving as a coach on Amile Jefferson's staff.
Jefferson had praise for White's coaching acumen, saying that he could be a coach in the league some day.
--The Celtics will play one last Summer League Game on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. That game will be played at 8 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN2.
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