James Young didn’t hit the court until the second half on Friday, doing what he tends to do most nights – patiently wait for his chance to play.
But unlike previous stints during the preseason, Young made shots, played solid defense and for the most part looked comfortable when in the game.
And that in itself is progress even as the Celtics suffered their first defeat of the preseason, a 101-95 loss to the Knicks.
“James Young did some very good things,” Celtics head coach Brad Rivers told reporters after the game. “That was encouraging.”
Young finished with 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers and his performance was one of several that stood out in Friday’s game.
Here’s a look at some of the Stars, Studs and Duds from the loss.
STARS
Boston Celtics
Derrick Williams
The former No. 2 overall pick had a nice inside-outside game for New York and may have finally found an NBA home. He led all scorers with 19 points which included some big 3s in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
STUDS
Kyle O’Quinn
One of the new additions to the Knicks' roster, the Queens, N.Y. native returning home was one of those really good, under-the-radar signings. O’Quinn had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Jordan Mickey
He is buried deep on the Celtics' bench but he continues to show that when the opportunity to play is there he’ll make the most of it. With most of the young players getting court time Friday night, Mickey had six points, six rebounds and two blocks while playing just 12 minutes.
Avery Bradley
Among those playing limited minutes, Bradley did a lot of nice things when he was on the floor. He finished with seven points and three assists along with eight rebounds.
DUDS
Celtics free throw shooting
Even though Boston never seemed to get into any kind of flow at either end of the floor, free throw shooting could have bailed them out. They finished 21-for-30 (70 percent) which included a slew of key misses in the second half. During the second half, the Knicks were a flawless 7-for-7 from the line.