The Celtics went south to Charleston for part of training camp this fall, using the trip to help a revamped roster get comfortable with one another before the season begins. By the sound of it, the work away from the court has helped - and the practices have been just as productive.
Sam Hauser offered the latest strong review of Boston’s camp, and his takeaway was hard to miss: this group has brought the heat every day.
According to NBC Sports Boston, Hauser said the “level of competitiveness has been really high” during 5-on-5 sessions, and he went a step further in sizing up where this camp ranks for him.
“I know we've had some competitive training camps, but this is up there with - this is my sixth one and it might be the most competitive at this point,” Hauser said. “So everybody is pushing each other.”
For Hauser, the biggest reason this camp has stayed sharp is the way players have held one another to a standard.
“I think a lot of different guys are speaking up, which I think is a good thing,” Hauser said. “Where you can hear from a player, as opposed to a coach all the time. And I think, the more we can have players speak up and call each other accountable, the better we can do.”
Boston’s camp includes several new additions, with Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Mike Conley and rookie Chris Cenac Jr. joining the mix, along with younger players like Hugo Gonzalez looking to make a jump.
George, Robinson and Conley bring 43 combined NBA seasons to the table, with Conley entering his 20th year and Robinson arriving after a championship run with the Knicks. That mix of veteran mileage and younger legs seems to be working so far, at least based on Hauser’s read on the first stretch of camp.
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