Quite a few things did not go right for the Boston Celtics in their first game against the New York Knicks since their Atlantic Division rival dispatched them from the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals second round series that saw star Boston forward Jayson Tatum go down with an Achilles tendon injury.
They lost the rebounding battle, couldn’t score on fast breaks, racked up a ton of fouls, and saw some of their best vets continue to struggle from beyond the arc. But rookie forward Hugo Gonzalez was a particularly bright spot in the 105-95 loss to the Knicks on Friday (Oct. 24) night, and Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had plenty of praise for the level-headed, high-energy defense and aggressive attacks on the cup the Madrid native deployed against the Knicks in his 6-point, 4-rebound, 1-assists, and 2-steal debut for Boston.
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“He’s been well coached before he’s gotten here,” said Mazzulla postgame. “So obviously being a part of a great organization, having great coaches, he understands what it takes.”
Oct 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) is guarded by Boston Celtics guard Hugo Gonzalez (28) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
“I think he has a clear understanding of what his role is,” added Mazzulla. “And it’s to defend at the highest of levels and play with the level of effort on the offensive end, and he’s able to do that.
“There are things he needs to clean up, obviously, but I thought he did a great job helping set that third quarter tone with his effort and his toughness.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Joe Mazzulla on Hugo Gonzalez understanding his role with the Celtics