Jordan Walsh had put together the best game of his career when the ball swung to him in the corner in Orlando. The ball has a way of finding guys in crucial moments — that’s what happened for Walsh with the C’s clinging to a two-point lead with under 15 seconds left in the game.
Walsh made the 3-pointer, putting the finishing touches on the Celtics’ 111-107 win over the Magic on Sunday. It was the dagger and exclamation point for what was a breakout game for the 21-year-old wing. Walsh isn’t always relied upon to make shots, but he delivered in Sunday’s biggest moment.
“It’s more just the standard,” Walsh told reporters in Orlando, via CLNS Media. “The standard is to come in and play that hard, try to affect the game without the ball. I think that’s what we all bought in to do. Obviously me and Hugo (Gonzalez), that’s our role that we’re trying to carve out. That’s why I talked to him when we go in, ‘Let’s just mess the game up for everybody.’ That’s what we did.”
Walsh has been buried down the depth chart to start the season. Even when he saw minutes in October, they were for short stints without much noise. But the wing has made the most of his opportunities in recent games. His impact was felt Sunday — there’s a reason why he was on the floor in the first place to make that key 3-pointer.
Walsh finished with six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, showing off flashes of what he can provide. C’s coach Joe Mazzulla praised his defense on Paolo Banchero, adding he was “tremendous” guarding the wing. Walsh credited his defense for the time watching film of Banchero, including going over the scouting report multiple times. Then it was just “feel” once he got on the court, he said, dissecting how aggressive Banchero was in real-time.
“You have to have that type of sense of urgency, especially for a young player,” Mazzulla said. “It’s hard to teach that. It’s hard to simulate that. It’s hard to do that. He’s turned it on. He’s had that sense of urgency as if he’s playing like his basketball life is on the line. He should play that way, and it’s a credit to him.”
It’s easy to forget: Walsh is the second-youngest player on the Celtics roster. Only Gonzalez, 19, is younger. Walsh is in his third NBA season, but he was a one-and-done product coming out of Arkansas. It takes time for the game to slow down and click for young prospects. Look no further than Celtics wing Josh Minott, enjoying his own breakout season in Year 4 in the league.
When Walsh joined the Celtics at 19, he was just trying to play basketball. He didn’t know what it took to be a pro and the realities of the league. Walsh credited his veterans like Al Horford and Jayson Tatum for helping him grow. He got to see what it takes to be a productive NBA player on a daily basis.
What matters next is how Walsh responds to his stellar night Sunday. Having a productive game, where he also went 2-for-2 from 3, is always a positive. But the season is long, and Walsh will get his number called again. Fortunately, Walsh has gained the trust of the coaching staff.
“One of the reasons why I trusted him and went with him is because of his work ethic behind the scenes,” Mazzulla said. “His body language and work ethic never changed even when he wasn’t playing. I told him, you guys are the only guys that I’ve worked with in the NBA as an assistant, so I know what they’re going through physically, mentally, psychologically and emotionally. It just doesn’t matter. You just gotta do it.”
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