Jordan Walsh didn’t enter the Celtics’ starting conversation as the obvious answer. For most of the preseason chatter, the focus stayed on Payton Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman. But the 6-foot-7 Walsh, with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, won the job and has already been thrown straight into the toughest defensive assignments Boston can offer.
That role has been immediate and demanding. NBA tracking data shows Walsh spent 22 possessions guarding Jalen Brunson, who finished with five points on 2-7 shooting, including 1-2 from three.
Cade Cunningham managed three points on 1-4 shooting and added three assists across 14 possessions against Walsh. Michael Porter Jr. knocked down two big threes with Walsh defending, but those were the only points he scored in 17 possessions.
“Jordan continues to be really good at the start of games, guarding the team's best player,” Joe Mazzulla said earlier in October. “Getting off to a good start defensively, something he's done well for us … it's a huge role for him that we're going to need from him.”
Walsh said he embraces the burden because it gives everyone else a little breathing room.
“I feel like a lot of my job is to kind of take that stress off them,” Walsh said at the team’s Thursday practice. “I get through a screen, and then there's no coverage, there's no help side, there's no squeeze.
It's just me playing one-on-one against their best player … So there's no need for rotations. There's no need for switching.
There's no need for coverage solutions. It's just ‘Jordan guard the best player one-on-one, get through a ball screen.
We get a stop. We go the other way.’”
The fit has been encouraging, even if it’s not spotless. Walsh had trouble against Julius Randle, a reminder that bigger and more physical forwards can still give him problems. He’s also still fouling too much as he pushes to be disruptive, hunting for steals and trying to knock the ball loose.
That aggression, though, is part of what makes him useful. Walsh has five steals so far, tied for second on the team with Derrick White.
He also has nine deflections, which ranks third, and he has recovered three defensive loose balls, the most on the team to this point. Those plays feed his transition game, where his athleticism can really show up.
If the shots come along too, Boston may have something real on its hands. Walsh is 4-10 from three so far, including 2-4 from the corners. It’s far too early to draw hard conclusions about his jumper, but he’s more than happy to see defenses treat him like a non-shooter.
“Still getting short closeouts and ignored. So that's perfect,” Walsh joked. “I can take my time on every jump shot.”
That can cut both ways. If defenses keep sagging off him, the lane gets tighter for drivers like Jayson Tatum, so Walsh has to make enough threes to force a reaction, then keep them honest once they do. He’s already leaning on Paul George for help on that front.
“We talk about offense a lot, getting to your shot, being confident with it,” Walsh said. But he also knows that defense is where his bread is buttered, and that George can be a big help there as well. “But there's certain closeout techniques and steal techniques that he does, I'm trying to pick up on as well, and so using that in games as well has been helpful.”
Boston spent last season mixing Walsh, Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez into the rotation, and Brad Stevens later pointed to the value of one of those forwards taking a leap. Right now, Walsh is the one in front, and the path looks open for him to keep climbing.
“He’s starting for us, giving really good minutes,” Sam Hauser said. “He defends his tail off every night and (is) definitely an improved shooter and improved offensive player as well. So it's fun to see young guys develop and kind of find their niche and figure out how to get on the floor and stay on the floor.”
In Other News...
Payton Pritchard Is Giving The Celtics More Than Just Scoring
Early in the season, Joe Mazzulla pushed Payton Pritchard to bring more to the Celtics than shot-making, and the guard has clearly taken the message to heart. In Bostons recent NBA Cup game against the Chicago Bulls, Pritchard paired his usual scoring punch with a noticeably sharper edge on the defensive end, showing the kind of activity that can help him stay on the floor in bigger moments.
Pritchard has said he wants to add more on-ball pressure and rebound better, and Mazzulla was encouraged enough by the showing to point to even more room for growth. For a Celtics team that already leans on Pritchards offense, the appeal is obvious if he can keep turning those defensive habits into something steady rather than occasional. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Is Driving A Celtics Change That Could Matter In May
Bostons defense has looked noticeably more disruptive early on, with the ball pressure and activity level showing up in ways that go beyond the usual opening-month noise. The Celtics are getting into passing lanes, swiping at dribbles and turning stops into chances to run, a shift that has given the group a different kind of edge while also cutting down on second-chance looks at the other end.
Paul George has been right at the center of that change, bringing the kind of defensive playmaking that can swing possessions before a set offense ever gets started. His rebounding has helped finish possessions, too, and if this level of aggressiveness holds, it could give Boston a useful wrinkle when the games tighten and the margins shrink later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Hit Another Low After Celtics Loss As Frustration Boils Over
The opening night of the 2026 NBA Cup had no shortage of eye-catching moments around the league, from Stephen Curry leading the Warriors back from a big first-quarter hole against the Lakers to Kevin Durant throwing down a highlight dunk for the Rockets. But from the Celtics' perspective, one of the cleaner results came in Chicago, where Boston handled the Bulls and kept a team already searching for answers mired in the same defensive trouble that has followed them through the start of the season.
For Chicago, the loss only deepened the sense of unease around a team that has struggled to find any traction early. The Bulls have been giving up points in bunches, and the frustration around that slide is starting to show in public. Caleb Wilson did not hide how he feels after the game, underscoring just how raw the mood has become as the Bulls try to stop the bleeding. [Read more 🡒]