Hugo González turned in his best performance of the summer to power the Boston Celtics past the Sacramento Kings, 82-76, in a physical 2026 NBA Summer League matchup at the Thomas and Mack Center on Wednesday. Boston’s defense set the tone from the opening tip, and the Celtics ultimately held on down the stretch to secure the win.
Boston’s Defense Sets the Tone Early
The Celtics opened the game with a suffocating defensive effort, holding Sacramento to just four points across the first ten minutes. As a result, Boston built a commanding lead and carried a 39-28 edge into halftime. The Kings settled in after the break, though, and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Sacramento clawed within two points late in the fourth quarter and threatened a comeback. Even so, Boston closed the game on a 5-1 run to secure the four-point victory.
Gonzalez and Cenac Lead the Way for Boston
González paced all scorers with a game-high 24 points, and he also added 10 rebounds and five assists in a well-rounded showing. Meanwhile, John Tonje contributed 18 points, and Milos Uzan chipped in 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Chris Cenac Jr., the No. 27 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, turned in a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
On the Sacramento side, No. 29 pick Alex Karaban led the way with 21 points, eight rebounds and one steal. In addition, second-round pick Emanuel Sharp scored 12 points, Adam Flagler finished with 11 points and three rebounds, and Jonathan Mogbo rounded out the box score with nine points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
Looking ahead, the Kings will face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday in a consolation-bracket game. Meanwhile, the Celtics await a playoff opponent for Saturday’s contest.
