Jordan Walsh gave the Celtics another reason to keep trusting him in the starting five, and this time it was about more than just his defense.
Boston has been leaning on Walsh because of what he can do on the perimeter against top scorers like Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham, and that part of his game has already made the experiment make sense. But against Brooklyn, Walsh added something else. He wasn’t just out there to chase and contest - he hurt the Nets from deep, too.
Walsh went 3-for-5 from three last night, and the timing mattered as much as the makes themselves. Boston was ice-cold from outside for stretches, but Walsh kept the Celtics alive while the rest of the team searched for a rhythm. It was the kind of stretch that showed why he can matter even when the offense isn’t built around him.
His biggest play came at the end. With Brooklyn leading and possession in hand with six seconds left, Mikel Brown Jr. inexplicably launched a contested layup when the Nets could have simply protected the ball - he out-JR Smith'd Neemias Queta. Walsh got a fingertip on the rebound and knocked it to Paul George with two seconds remaining, setting up the chain of events that led to Jayson Tatum’s buzzer-beating winner.
Tatum will deserve the bulk of the spotlight for that shot, and rightly so. But Walsh helped make it possible.
That’s the point of nights like this. Walsh has flaws, but he’s not a scrub, and he hasn’t been one since the season began.
Boston has seen enough of these games in the Mazzulla Ball era to know how quickly they can slip away, and this one should have gotten away from them, too. Being up four with four seconds left and still needing a miracle is no way to draw it up.
Still, Walsh’s shooting and late effort kept the Celtics from drifting too far off course. When they finally found their footing, they didn’t have to dig out of a crater.
He isn’t Boston’s best starter, but he’s proving he can be a useful one. If the three-point shot keeps coming around, Joe Mazzulla’s decision starts looking smarter by the night.
In Other News...
Jayson Tatum Is Carrying The Celtics In A Way Fans Notice
Jayson Tatum kept Boston from leaving Brooklyn with anything less than a sigh of relief, finishing with 40 points and the game-winning jumper in overtime to push the Celtics past the Nets, 125-124. It was the kind of night that reminded everyone how much the offense leans on him when the game tightens up, and it also came with a notable career benchmark for one of the leagues most reliable late-game scorers.
Tatums all-around line stood out just as much as the closing shot, with his playmaking and efficiency helping Boston improve to 3-1 while the Nets dropped to 0-4. For the Celtics, it was another example of a star carrying the load in a way fans can see and appreciate every time the margin shrinks and the ball finds his hands. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Broadcast Just Added More Fuel To The Brown Tatum Split
A broadcast moment during a Celtics game briefly turned into another reminder of how closely Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum still get linked, even now that they are on different teams. Brian Scalabrine drew attention to Browns turnover issues while praising Tatums ball security, a sharp contrast that immediately put their old partnership back in the conversation for Boston fans who spent years watching the two carry the franchise together.
Brown noticed the commentary and played it down as anything serious between him and Tatum, while Tatum declined to say much more about it. For now, the chatter is mostly part of the backdrop to a matchup that already has some intrigue, with Brown and Tatum set to see each other on November 10. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Showed Celtics Exactly What Tatum Still Needs
Paul George offered a little of everything in Bostons wild 125-124 overtime win over Brooklyn, the kind of all-around line that can quietly shape a game even when the biggest spotlight lands elsewhere. The Celtics needed more than Jayson Tatums scoring burst to escape with their third straight win, and they got it from a deeper cast that included Derrick White and Jordan Walsh as the game swung back and forth through regulation.
Tatum finished with 40 points and still had to deliver the final answer, banking in the game-winner as time expired in overtime. Before that finish, though, the Celtics were reminded how thin the margin can be when one play changes everything, and how much value there is in another creator who can rebound, pass and keep the offense moving when Boston is under pressure. [Read more 🡒]