Moments after driving patiently to the basket on Toronto’s Jahmi’us Ramsey, tying the game with a tough finish at the rim late in the shot clock, Jordan Walsh had a chance to win the game for Boston at the end of regulation.
JD Davison found Walsh on the wing, where he put the ball on the floor and blew past Jonathan Mogbo. However, 6-foot-11 Branden Carlson was waiting at the rim, rejecting the shot and sealing the game for Toronto.
Had he made the shot, it would have been the cherry on top of what was an impressive preseason for the 20-year-old wing.
Walsh appeared in all five of the Celtics’ preseason games, scoring 45 points (nine per game) on 15-of-33 (45.4%) shooting from the field and 7-of-19 (36.8%) from beyond the arc. He added 20 rebounds (five per game), eight assists, four steals, and three blocks while posting a +51 plus-minus and committing just two turnovers in 104 minutes. He also knocked down eight of his nine free throw attempts (88.9%).
His numbers significantly improved from Summer League, where he shot just 16-of-55 (29.1%) from the field, 4-of-30 (13.3%) from three, and had 12 turnovers across Boston’s five games.
“Just having an understanding of what his job is. Defend at a high level, defend multiple positions, rebound, and make reads on the offensive end. He’s doing a great job,” head Joe Mazzulla said on Walsh’s development following a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double on Sunday night.
“I’m really proud of his growth. Him, the player development team, the work they put in with him, he works hard at it. He’s starting to carve out a role and just is showing a really good attitude towards it. So it’s been fun to watch him grow.”
It’s telling that Mazzulla said he is “starting to carve out a role.” Although Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser did not play, Tuesday night felt like a dress rehearsal and may have hinted at the role Walsh could have in the rotation.
The Celtics rotation didn’t have much room for opportunity entering training camp, but one spot that needed to be filled was the next wing-up role vacated by Oshae Brissett. It wasn’t a big role—only 630 regular season minutes and 55 in the postseason, much of it in blowouts—but it’s an important one. Someone who can step up when the main rotation guys are out and do the dirty work: defend 1-5, crash the boards, and bring energy.
Walsh has certainly shown he can fill that void, and after his strong preseason, he appears to be the frontrunner for the job.
“Just really impressed with his poise,” Al Horford said on Walsh after the preseason finale. “I know it’s the preseason, but we have to acknowledge – I feel like the game has slowed down a little bit for him. He continues to make all the right reads at the right times. He’s also shooting the ball really well, but he also knows when to shoot and when to pass. Little things that you assume every player has to do, but it’s very difficult, and he’s doing it on the spot. He’s competing on the defensive end. It’s been very encouraging to see his growth from last year to this year.”
When given time with the regular rotation players, Walsh didn’t look out of place. Offensively, he’s been more patient, picking his spots, driving to the basket, and keeping the ball moving. He’s playing under control, and making faster, more confident decisions, which is sure to please Mazzulla.
Defensively, he’s been aggressive, fighting over screens and using his 6-foot-7 frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan to disrupt passing lanes and grab rebounds—exactly the type of impact you want from a player in the role he is gunning for.
Walsh, the youngest player on the team, looked like an NBA player throughout the preseason. Entering his sophomore season, he is primed to contribute in some way as the Celtics look to go back-to-back, hoping to become the next success story in the team's development efforts.
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