The Celtics trusted Jordan Walsh in the finals

« I try to be the best player possible », poster Jordan Walsh in all modesty. The goal was largely met given his performance on the Magic Floor on Sunday night. Along with other elements of the Celtics bench, the winger played a key role in his team’s victory.

In 26 minutes, he collected 6 points (2/2 from distance), 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals with a +13 in the game. We will especially remember that he was mobilized for the entire fourth quarter of the contested match. While so far this season his playing time has been more about “garbage time”.

« One of the reasons I trusted him and chose him was his work ethic behind the scenes. His attitude and seriousness never changed, even when he wasn’t playing. I told him, ‘You seem to have forgotten, you’re the only one I worked with in the NBA as an assistant.’ So I know what they are going through physically, mentally, psychologically », Joe Mazzulla’s book after the meeting.

Self-confidence rewarded by the activity of his player, of which we will especially remember his decisive shot fifteen seconds from the end, with a two-point deficit in favor of his team. ” At first I thought JB was going to shoot, so I told myself I was going to go for the rebound “, begins with Jordan Walsh’s description.

Except Jaylen Brown penetrated to get the ball to Peyton Pritchard better. And this one, instead of shooting, preferred to feint, fix and deliver the skin to the corner for a better shot. Walsh’s.

His teammates celebrated for him

« I thought, ‘Wait, P could pass me,’ so I had to stand out. So I moved, he saw me, he passed me the ball and I scored. I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I didn’t even celebrate. I think I was in the moment », continues the person in question who had the reactivity and intelligence to move well into the corner when he sees the movement of his teammates.

The wing may not have celebrated, his partners on the bench did it for him, rejoicing to see this “dagger”, synonymous with a Celtics victory. ” He has been rewarded for his intensity in recent games » congratulates Jaylen Brown for example regarding his recent releases. His playing time exceeded 18 minutes in three of the Celtics’ last four games.

A sign that the 38th pick of the 2023 Draft is gradually creeping into rotations, after the first two years where he was very little mobilized. ” I didn’t really know what the expectations were. I didn’t know how to prepare for the match. I didn’t know what it looked like. I was just a college kid who just wanted to play », admits the 21-year-old player, talking about his first steps in the green house, at only 19 years old.

Yesterday’s young man, who is also relying on the advice of Jayson Tatum this season, seems to have grown up a lot. “ You have to have that kind of urgency, especially for a young player, and it’s hard to learn, it’s hard to simulate, it’s hard to reproduce — but he was able to activate it, and he has that sense of urgency like he’s playing his life as a basketball player. And he should always play like that, it’s a great honor for him “, the son coach said.

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.