Jordan Walsh’s third season has been a bit of a roller coaster.
He started the season as a distant idea, where youth and potential still held weight, but it was unclear if he could break through. That breakthrough did happen, and it led to a string of promising starts with consistent and meaningful playing time.
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There are no guarantees in the NBA, or in the Celtics rotation. Just as quickly as Walsh ascended, he faded into the background. At no real fault of his own, Walsh became a minutes casualty due to several factors: Jayson Tatum’s return, and Baylor Scheierman’s own ascension, to name a few.
He went from starting 20 straight games, averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds on 60-45-85 shooting splits, to being stapled to the bench. He hadn’t seen the floor in six straight games.
Last night though, in the absence of Jaylen Brown, his number was called and he seized the opportunity.
Walsh’s modest statline of 5 points and 3 rebounds don’t tell the whole story. More important was the 27 minutes he logged, and what he did with them.
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He finished with 3 blocks, a reminder of just how deep his defensive skill set runs. He contained a Jonathan Kuminga physical drive to the rim, and hung with the shiftier CJ McCollum, stuffing his shot twice. Walsh brought his usually frenetic style, finding the spots where his chaos and motor could do the most damage.
“Yeah, it was huge,” Mazzulla said. “Games call for toughness and physicality. Something that he brings to credit to him.”
His return to the rotation was another example of Boston’s stay-ready culture doing exactly what it’s supposed to. Walsh got his chance and delivered. He didn’t try to overdo it to win his spot back, instead playing within himself and letting his best attributes carry the night.
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“The professionalism to stay ready over the course of a season says a lot about him,” Mazzulla said. “And I thought he gave us some great minutes tonight, great energy and great physicality.”
Adding a player of Tatum’s caliber back into the mix meant minutes had to come from somewhere, and Walsh was the one who lost them. But a game like this can earn him extended looks again. Mazzulla has consistently rewarded depth pieces after strong showings, and the trust never fully disappeared.
“Even when he wasn’t playing, I still had a level of trust,” Mazzulla said. “And when he’s out there, he’s going to put us in position to win. And I thought he did that tonight.”
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Some uncertainty remains in the Celtics wing room. Among Scheierman, Walsh, and Gonzalez, none have meaningful NBA playoff experience. They’ve each proven themselves in different ways, but postseason basketball demands precision. There’s a real chance Walsh gets called on in a playoff series, and he’ll need to be ready. Against the Hawks, he was.