Joe Mazzulla not worried about Hugo Gonzalez’s slow start in NBA

Boston Celtics

“He’s proven that he can play and can impact winning.”

Hugo Gonzalez didn’t take the conventional route that many Celtics rookies have followed over the last few seasons. He didn’t spend any time refining his game in the G League before slowly working his way into NBA action.

Instead, this season presented an opportunity for Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics to through Gonzalez right in the deep end and see if he swam. The results have been somewhat of a mixed bag.

Gonzalez is certainly having the growing pains offensively that would be expected when making the jump from European basketball to the NBA. He’s averaging three points, two rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game. He has a 50 percent three-point percentage, but is averaging less than one attempt per game from that territory.

However, Gonzalez’s defense has been relatively solid to start the year, and that was one of the aspects of his game that Mazzulla and the Celtics have been excited about since drafting him. His large frame for a guard (6-foot-6, 6-foot-10 inch wingspan) is unique to Boston’s lineup; Derrick White, Anfernee Simons and Payton Pritchard are all 6-foot-4 or smaller.

That defensive acumen is a big part of the reason Gonzalez is earning NBA minutes early in his career. And Joe Mazzulla confirmed that on Saturday when asked if there’s been any consideration in giving Gonzalez some time with the Maine Celtics.

“I haven’t thought about that, no,” Mazzulla told reporters. “I think we just came into the season with an open mind through training camp and preseason. And I think he showed and proved, through his work ethic and maturity — but really his defensive instincts — that he can play at this level. And I think that’s more valuable than anything at this particular time.

“We’ll assess it as it goes on, but I think he’s proven that he can play and can impact winning.”

Mazzulla has kept a relatively deep bench anyways this season, playing all 13 of his available players in Wednesday’s win over the Grizzlies. So it doesn’t appear Gonzalez is heading anywhere soon, especially as the Celtics have been playing inconsistent basketball as a whole this season, far beyond the rookie.

Boston has been hovering near .500, entering a tough matchup against the Clippers with a 6-7 record. Boston also has a grueling schedule on the horizon, playing the top three teams in the Eastern Conference (Pistons, Knicks, Cavaliers) all in the same seven-day stretch at the end of November and early December.

If the Celtics hope to hang around in playoff contention this season, they’ll need solid defensive performances top to bottom. Gonzalez could help provide that during his stretches on the floor.