Jazz fans make noise
Ainge target on Hayward deal
SALT LAKE CITY — The crowd was mostly quiet during last night’s first game between the Celtics and Spurs, which made the sudden shout particularly audible and desperate.
A Jazz fan, spotting Danny Ainge on the other side of the floor, shouted for the Celtics president to make some kind of restitution for Utah’s loss of Gordon Hayward.
“Trade us Avery Bradley — you owe us!”
Instead, the crowd had to settle for a poor Celtics performance in last night’s 8170 loss to San Antonio.
But basketball aside, the crowd won’t be sedate tonight, when the Celtics complete the Utah portion of their summer league schedule with a game against the host Jazz.
But Jerome Allen, the Celtics assistant coaching the Utah portion of this Rocky Mountain tour, made sure he was respectful when talking about Jazz fans last night. The former Timberwolves knows this corner of the NBA well.
“In Salt Lake City I think the Jazz fans travel well,” he said of the trek between downtown Salt Lake City and where the league is being held, further up the mountain at the University of Utah. “In previous years they tend to get great crowds for (summer league) games, and it’s one of the reasons they have the summer league here. It should be fine and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tatum shines
This year’s featured rookie continues to cut through summer league defenses with ease.
Jayson Tatum took the offensive lead for the Celtics last night with team highs in points (23) and rebounds (10). And the increased speed of the game over what he knew for one year at Duke doesn’t seem to be a problem.
“I’ve been impressed by a number of different things. At 19 his soul just seems mature and older. His approach, he doesn’t get sped up,” said Allen. “He’s physical, he rebounds, he competes, he passes, he scores, he posts, he has the long ball. You’d be hard-pressed to find another 19-year-old in this country who has his demeanor.”
Tatum admitted that so far, anyway, he hasn’t had a problem with adapting to a faster pace.
“I’ve always had to adjust. When I went to high school and college I had to play faster, but it wasn’t faster than what I was capable of,” he said. “I was still able to move at what I was comfortable with. But it’s still faster. I’m not the fastest guy, so slo-mo it is.” . . .
Tatum said he patterned his fadeaway jump shot — complete with its distinctive leg kick — after his favorite player, Kobe Bryant, who may not be his favorite player anymore.
“That was my favorite player, but I’m a Celtic now,” he said.
Rough night
Jaylen Brown fell back to earth rather hard last night, with six points in 26 minutes, including four more turnovers, raising his twogame total to 11.
Allen was upset enough after Brown’s fourth that he shouted for the forward to look over at the bench, where the coach was holding up four fingers. But Allen’s not worried.
“Part of this platform is for him to get comfortable with pace and angles, and understanding and trying to develop as a basketball player,” said Allen. “That said, you have a margin for error sometimes. He’s trying to figure out what the best plays are for us at both ends of the floor. Jaylen’s doing fine.” . . .
As of yesterday summer league season was exactly three days old, and rest was the last thing on Brown’s mind. But at some point, if not here then in Las Vegas, the order to chill is coming.
“Man, I don’t know. I want to play, though,” said the second-year forward. “Like, I came out here to Utah. No offense to Utah but I don’t want to do nothing else out here but play. I came here to play basketball.”