Celtics grind out overtime win vs. the Raptors in summer league opener and other observations

LAS VEGAS — Celtics first-round pick Chris Cenac Jr. hit a 3-pointer in the final second of regulation to force overtime and Boston eventually secured an 83-80 win over the Raptors in their summer league opener Friday night.

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Cenac had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and second-year big man Amari Williams finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Celtics.

The Celtics will face the Hornets on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Celtics trailed by 3 with 30 seconds left, and after gathering offensive rebounds on two misses, Cenac Jr. drilled a 3-pointer from the right corner with 0.8 seconds left. The Raptors took an 80-79 lead on a 3-pointer by Allen Graves with 1:25 left in the extra session.

But second-year wing Hugo González pushed the Celtics back in front with a pair of free throws, and John Tonje stretched the lead to 3 when he came up with a steal and coasted in for a dunk with 18 seconds left. The Raptors had three 3-point attempts that would have forced a second overtime but missed them all.

Observations from the game:

▪ Cenac came off the bench for the Celtics. He checked in after about three minutes and his first two jump-shots were long before he lost the ball on one drive. But there were flashes of the athleticism that intrigued the Celtics. Cenac clearly moves well for a big man, and after those early missed jumpers he established himself inside with a pair of big dunks.

Perhaps his most impressive moment came on a play that did not result in any points. After having a jumper blocked, Cenac stayed with the play, chased down the loose ball, and immediately attacked his off-balance defender for a layup. He missed the try, but it was a good response.

Cenac started the fourth quarter by draining a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and with Boston trailing by 1 with three minutes left he drove the baseline and converted a nice layup. Then his big 3-pointer in the final seconds tied the score.

“Just a live body, and as he gets used to the pace his and just getting out there more he’s going to be a really good player,” coach Amile Jefferson said. “He can do so many things on the court. We saw him put the ball on the floor, we saw him shoot the 3, we saw him screen. His rebounding was incredible. So, for us I think he can have an immediate impact.”

▪ González, who played in World Cup qualifying games for Spain just last week, made a name for himself as a rookie with his relentless, hard-charging style of play.

Even though the stakes and competition level were considerably lower Friday, González mostly approached things in the same manner. He sprinted to contest jump-shots, crashed to the floor on one strong drive, and generally served as the general of Boston’s attack.

But it was a forgettable shooting night for González , who swished one early 3-pointer from the right corner but went just 3 for 16, including 1 for 9 from the arc. His worst miss came at the rim, when he sliced through the paint with one minute left in regulation and Boston trailing by 1, but he could not convert a layup.

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“I felt comfortable with the ball,” González said. “I’ve just got to make shots. . . It was one of the worst days I’ve shot it on my life, but we still got the win, which is important.”

This was a minuscule sample size, of course, but given Boston’s offensive weapons, González will get plenty of clean 3-point looks next season, and his playing time will partially hinge on his ability to make them.

González was sporting a gnarly black-and-blue bruise on his right biceps. He said it was the result of a hard fall during a World Cup qualifier.

▪ The Celtics declined their option on Williams’s contract last month and ultimately agreed to another two-way deal with the second-year big man. Williams had a rough start against the Raptors. His first shot was an awkward airball, and then he let a pass slip through his hands.

But he settled in nicely over the rest of the game. The 7-footer had one loud block inside in the opening quarter and showed flashes of his skill when he grabbed defensive rebounds and ignited a one-man fast break, a rarity for a player that size.

In the third quarter he exploded up the floor on a fast-break and converted a nice finger-roll layup.

“At the start of the game I felt like a lot of us were nervous, so to get the nerves out of the way and compete how we have been in training camp was great to see,” Williams said.

▪ The Celtics’ start was, well, grisly. Four minutes into the game, Boston was 0 for 5 from the field with seven turnovers.

▪ Second-round draft pick Dillon Mitchell had two steals and two blocks, as well as the night’s biggest highlight. With time running down in the second quarter, he soared in for a one-handed putback slam.

▪ Jefferson, getting his first turn in the first chair, picked up a technical foul midway through the second quarter.

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