INSTANT REACTION: Jaylen Brown, Jordan Walsh IMPRESS in Celtics’ big win over Knicks

INSTANT REACTION: Jaylen Brown, Jordan Walsh IMPRESS in Celtics’ big win over Knicks

Gonzalez’s hustle has been good. Celtics trying to take the lead with Brown. Oh my goodness. Time out Knicks. And that was the dunk from Jaylen Brown in the second quarter that gave the Celtics the lead after they trailed 17-4 out of the gate and then took an 18-point lead in the second half before the Knicks made it a little bit interesting. Celtics get to win 123 117. They’re 12-9 now on the year. Three games over 500 for the first time this season. and Tom Charles, Chris Forsber, Eddie House, your thoughts on the Celtics, their ability to hang on there in the second half. I mean, it was a little dicey there at the end, but I thought this was a total team victory. You got to think about what Ugo came in and was able to do in the second quarter to change the tide for the team. Anthony Simons came in and played well, hit some big buckets. Hayden Pritchard hit a couple shots. Uh Sam Hower came in and knocked down shots. We know what Jaylen Brown’s going to do. We’ve been asking for everybody else to step up. And I mean, Jordan Walsh, how fantastic was he in the fourth quarter? That drive from the left side, hanging and scoring that, then getting the couple offensive rebounds and the putbacks right there at they were timely exactly when we needed them. Um, I just thought this was a total team victory with Jaylen Brown leading the way. Yeah, I think I nailed it right. Like they don’t kind of turn this game’s momentum out JB did in the second quarter and really throughout the night. But for me, it comes down to I look at my notes, it’s all Walsh, Walsh, Walsh, Walsh in the fourth quarter, the two offensive rebounds in a row. He intercepted a pass that they nearly turned into points the other way, the jump ball, which wasn’t even clean, but whatever, they got it with Derek White diving on the floor, the layup from the crashing on the corner. Jordan Walsh did not have a great first half, and we sat here like, you know, can you how much can they lean on him going into the second half when Ugo had been so good and would they lean on the rookie a little bit more? And while so good since elevating to that starting role, really only like one bad night against Minnesota, dusted himself off and had a fantastic finish to this game. The biggest revelation to me about what the Celtics are doing is the way Jordan Walsh has become an impact player. A guy who after a night like tonight should be a household name with his impact out there. And now like I just I’m I’m I’m just for the long-term future of this team. It is such a good position to find guys that will be part of your core moving forward and Jordan Wall sure looks like one of those guys. I mean, you see that stat line at the bottom of the screen there and and as you brought up Chris, we discussed at halftime because he only played seven minutes in that first half. What do you do in the second half with Ugo Gonzalez playing as well as he did and Jordan Walsh in those clutch minutes there already coming up with the six points, four rebounds, three of those offensive and just seemingly was everywhere down the stretch. Yeah, he was hustle plays and then he made the right plays as well. He didn’t turn the basketball over when he got the ball in his hands. He was looking for guys to get the ball to so we could set up our offense. U he never tried to do too much. He just did what he is supposed to do as far as what the team is asking him to do. And that’s crash the glass, that’s defend, that’s block shots if you have to. And every once in a g, you know, they gonna throw you a bone. You’re going to get that ball in the on the left side and you gonna be able to attack off the dribble and score and get your layup and get some money in that way and show your athleticism and show that you are are more than just the dirty work guy that you are been working on your game and and you got to think how young he is still. So, he has a lot of growth and and we’ve seen growth from uh last year to right now. And right now, we’re actually seeing it game to game, especially being inserted in that starting lineup. We seeing the growth of Jordan Walsh right now and the confidence that is oozing out of him because he believes because the coaches believe in him. Yeah, you see the growth. Let’s let’s use his full name, please. Now, Michael Jordan Walsh from game one to game 21. I think we’re still workshopping the nickname thing. Chris is throwing out his suggestion, but it was a phenomenal effort there from Jordan Walsh down the stretch. And he is standing by with Abby back at TD Garden. Jordan, it was a playofflike atmosphere in here and the Knicks would not go away. What were you guys saying to each other and how were you able to put this one away? I mean, it started with, you know, Josh and Hugo coming in and playing great minutes, you know, playing defense, completely shutting the other guys down. It was it was amazing they did what they did tonight. It started with that and then coming in and everybody kind of like that set the tone for everybody else, you know, come in and match that energy and keep it going. You told me the other night in Cleveland, passion is required on the offensive boards. You had some huge ones tonight, especially in crunch time. Where does that come from for you? I mean, it comes from the desire to win, the desire to to want to see this team get to the highest level and maximum potential possible. Obviously, it’s ingrained in me with this culture, with this atmosphere, with everybody who’s all building me to make those type of plays and believes me to make those type of plays. That’s the biggest difference. You made them tonight. So did Jaylen Brown. What is it like being on the floor with him when he’s on a heater like that when he was in the second and third quarter? Oh, it’s amazing. He can’t be stopped. You know, once he gets going, he can’t be stopped and it’s our job to keep feeding it to him and feeding it to him and keep giving him however many buckets he can, whatever he can do to to keep us keep that lead and it’s great what he did tonight and he’s been consistent with it and we love to see it. Finally, Jordan, this game very different than the one you guys played back in October in New York. What does that tell you about how far this team has come? I feel like, you know, a lot of teams, you know, as the season goes on, there there begins to be a drop off ball, but I feel like with this team, instead of there being a drop off, we’re going to keep climbing, keep going up and up and building our chemistry together so that by the time the end of the season comes, we’ll be in the right place at the right time and be able to make a push. I hope so. This was fun, Jordan. Thank you. Of course. Thank you. Congrats. All right. So, again, Jordan Walsh and the Celtics getting this win over the Knicks 123 117. And right out of the gates, it felt like New York was in control this game. They had a 17 to4 lead. They had a 14-point lead further along into the second quarter. And then you saw the Celtics kind of turn things. And it all started with Jaylen Brown, who, you know, he he just talked about right there. Jaylen Brown with 42 points. That’s a season high. He had 35 points in the second and third quarters when the Celtics turned that 14-point deficit, Eddie, into at one point what was an 18-point lead. And what what what more do you want to want to talk about with Jayen Brown? We’ve been talking about him and knowing exactly what he’s been. Look how efficient he is. 16 of 24 from the field. I mean, come on. I mean, you you can’t get any much better than that, especially when you have the ball in your hands as much as he does and you have to not only navigate through pick and rolls and double teams and u guys showing extra help and things like that, but you’re still able to get guys off by having your four assists, getting your rebounds, still attacking, getting to your spot, scoring the basketball at will when you wanted to, and especially turn it on when we needed it. So, I mean, you can’t say enough about JB. Like I said, man, worth every penny. People were doubting why did they pay him all that money. Well, this is the reason why. Right here, you see uh Jaylen Brown’s eyes light up every time Jaylen Brunson was in front of him. I think at one point he was five scoring over him. Like, he just This is why when we have the discussion about the best players in the NBA, we have to remember it is a two-way sport. and Jaylen Brown brings it on the defensive end and he can expose the best players on the other side with their defensive liabilities. And so I just love Jaylen’s energy. Wasn’t just as Eddie said, it was everybody getting you to the finish line in that fourth quarter. But if you don’t have what Jaylen does in the middle frames and keeping you afloat and then stretching out the lead, then this game gets away from you. And I don’t know, it’s like every night we just kind of we I I don’t want to ever take it for granted what Jaylen Brown is doing out there. and the fact that he’s just he’s living above 30 points and then multiple 40point games now. This is this doesn’t happen everywhere and it’s super impressive what he’s doing and the way he has embraced being the focal point and the efficiency that he is doing it with. And you you you brought up him, you know, keeping them afloat when the Celtics weren’t knocking down the three ball. It was Jaylen Brown. Attack, attack, attack. And uh they were extremely bring the word efficient, extremely efficient inside the arc, especially with their leading score 123 117. Celtics 12-7.

The Postgame Live crew breaks down the Celtis’ 123-117 win over the New York Knicks