Camp and Pre-Season Thread

[bobheckler]

Day 1





Bob


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[RosalieTCeltics]

Ok so are you watching JT. Look at his stance, they seem like they are getting him to set his feet further apart for balance??

[bobheckler]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5795090/2024/09/26/celtics-joe-mazzulla-coaching-drills/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=13921316



Celtics powered by ‘weird energy’ from Joe Mazzulla’s unconventional practice drills


By Jay King

3h ago



One year ago, Jrue Holiday missed the opening day of Boston Celtics practice after getting traded twice in one week. He couldn’t have known what to expect from the team’s training camp. This season, more settled in Boston, he had a good idea of what the experience would entail.

“Joe will probably have us do some new, crazy drills,” Holiday said Tuesday.

That prediction was accurate. But even for the Celtics players who have been with the team through the entirety of Mazzulla’s head coaching tenure, the opening day of practice brought some surprises.

“If I could have told you exactly what was going to happen today,” Sam Hauser said before trailing off.

Hauser’s implication was clear: He never would have guessed how the Celtics opened their practice schedule.

Mazzulla, who regularly keeps the players on their toes with his unorthodox teaching methods, unleashed a new idea during the first day of training camp: basketball without the possibility of scoring buckets.


Boston Celtics
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Back in that mode

https://twitter.com/i/status/1839062627697164464



“I wouldn’t have guessed it in one million years,” Hauser said while sitting off to the side of a practice court. “It was very random.”

Practices are closed to the media, but according to Hauser, Mazzulla covered the rims with “bubbles” during one two-minute scrimmage so no one could score.

During that portion of practice, Hauser said the Celtics could only earn points in ways that had nothing to do with arcing the ball through the rim. With a lid on the bucket, they had no prayer of making a shot.

“You get your points based on rebounds, turnovers, blocks, steals, everything except putting the ball in the hole essentially,” Hauser said. “I guess it makes you focus your energy on something other than trying to score, which is probably the (goal). It’s just a different emphasis which is great. But it was interesting for sure.”

Hauser said that was just one of the unique aspects of the first day back to practice. Before training camp, the Celtics coaches taped different colors onto certain areas of the court. The corner of one court featured two blue arrows, each pointing from the 3-point arc to the side of the paint, and a pink square. The other side of the same court showed off several rectangles, including one enclosing each low block. They were all new teaching tools for Mazzulla, according to Hauser.

“I can’t even explain it to you what everything is,” Hauser said. “It’s hard to put into words some of the stuff that he comes up with. … Some of it has to do with offensive spacing. Some of it has to do with defensive stuff. So there’s no rhyme or reason. There’s a method to the madness I guess.”

According to Hauser, after Mazzulla unveils an unusual drill, the Celtics players will sometimes ask themselves what just happened. But judging by how they dominated their way to last season’s title, they trust Mazzulla and buy into his quirks.

Holiday called Mazzulla’s method “controlled madness” during last season’s playoffs. Holiday said some coaches can allow things to become methodical or boring, but Mazzulla keeps the Celtics engaged with “a spark — some weird energy.”

“He’s unpredictable … in a good way,” Hauser said. “That’s what makes him unique and a great coach. He can switch things up and get you to wrap your head around something different every day, which is great. And I think his variability is something that makes him good.”

Why does Mazzulla shake up things so regularly?

“One, I think to keep everybody’s mind fresh,” Hauser said. “Two is just, how can you handle uncomfortable situations where you don’t necessarily know what’s going on? How can you channel it and use it to your advantage? I think those are things that can be tied into what’s going on here, but sometimes I think he does drills to literally f— with us. Like, I literally do. Which is cool. It’s cool.”

Mazzulla wasn’t merely messing with the Celtics on Wednesday. He was hoping to begin rebuilding the habits that allowed them to end the franchise’s 16-year title drought. Though Boston returned every player in the regular rotation, Mazzulla said he wants to start camp with a return to the basics.

“At the end of the day if we don’t go back to those fundamentals and assume that just because we have everybody back we’re going to do the littlest of things, that’s where we get in trouble,” Mazzulla said. “So we start from square one, start all over again. And I think over time that continuity will pick up, but we’ve got to start from scratch.”

Mazzulla has scheduled two-a-days during camp, but said the Celtics will only practice for as long as it takes them to conclude what they need to do on a given day.

On Wednesday, Mazzulla said the team went through about one and a half sessions of practice. Payton Pritchard said the opening day involved “a lot of running.” Hauser agreed, saying the Celtics did plenty of work up and down the court. He is excited for another season with most of the same players.

“I think just the fact that we didn’t bring anyone new in just shows the belief that our organization and our coaches and our teammates have in each other to try to run this thing back and do it again,” Hauser said. “We understand what it took to get there, but now it’s like, ‘How can we reframe our mindset of coming off a win instead of a loss the year before and still have the same motivation and competitive edge that we had this past year?’

“I think we’ll be in a good spot but it’s definitely going to be a different path or season than last year considering we’re the ones who just came off winning a championship as opposed to losing the Eastern Conference finals. So it will be different for sure.”

Just like Mazzulla’s coaching.



Bpb


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[NYCelt]

This is one of the reasons I'm a Joe Mazzulla fan.

He is not afraid to try new and unconventional methods, and has the intellect to come up with meaningful systems that produce results.

As the game and the league evolve, you can't always get ahead of the competition by copying what came before. Teams change coaches for a variety of reasons. When doing so you either get a veteran coach that is capable of adapting, or a retread off the coaching carousel that time has passed by. That is unless you bring in someone with a fresh perspective.

I like that the Celtics went with a brand new leader. A coach they knew a thing or two about when they were faced with a fast, crisis time decision. They knew Mazzulla had designed their defense and obviously saw yet appreciated his quirky, effective methods.

A new banner goes up soon. It didn't all happen solely because a coach got handed a talented roster. That roster had to be properly managed through highs and lows. Systems that would lead to winning through meaningful skill development needed to be put in motion.

They got the right guy calling the shots.

[dboss]

someone may want to introduce Hauser to Lonnie Walker, the new guy!

I watched some video on JT shooting the ball but it was such a small sample size that I did not detect anything except  his release looked a bit quicker.  I guess we will get a better look once they start their preseason segment.

I took a look back at some numbers from last year.  

#1 in point differential at 11.4 points
#1 took 42.5 3 pointers per game
#2 shot 3 pointers at a 38.8% clip, OKC was #1 at 38.9%
#1 tied with the Sixers with 11.3 TOVS per game
#2 In rebounds at 46.3   GSW were #1 at 46.7
#2 in Points scored per game at 120.6    The Pacers were # 1 at 123.3
#14 in Assists per game at 26.9
#26 in FTA at 20.2
#1 in blocks per game at 6.6  (tied with OKC)
#27 in steals per game 6.8
#2 in personal fouls committed (16.2)  Lakers were # 1 at 15.6

There are only few areas where they are not producing great numbers.  I would like to see them get more FT but understanding that if they are tops in 3 point shooting then they are not going to pick up as many FT shooting opportunities.

I think they should be able to score more Fast break points  (ranked 13th at 14.6 PPG)

CJ really likes them taking 3 pointers.  I can see them exceeding last year's average of 42.5

The Celtics won big last year during the regular season and in the playoffs because they won the battle of the numbers.  No team could match how good they were in so many key areas, healthy or not.

[bobheckler]

Bob


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[bobheckler]

Bob


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[bobheckler]

Bob


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[bobheckler]

Bob


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[bobheckler]

Jay Scrubb has signed an Exhibition 10 Preseason/Camp contract with the Celtics.

I believe that the Celtics are at the max for camp roster so someone is about to be released.  Nobody we would or should care about, I presume.

Slightly bigger picture, all two-way spots are taken by Anton Watson, JD Davison and Drew Peterson.  Will Scrubb just sign with the Maine Celtics afterwards?

If you remember he looked VERY good in Summer League a year or two ago and then blew up his knee.  

A little drama here.   Heheheh.


Bob


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[gyso]

UPDATE: Boston waived forward Tristan Enaruna to make room for Scrubb on the 21-man roster

[RosalieTCeltics]

so he must be ready to play? I had read that he was still rehabbing, I can only hope for his sake that he gets back to Maine and shows us what he did last summer. I was excited to see if he would make the team last year. Interesting

[dboss]

The Celtics obviously like him.  The Maine team may be even better than last year.

[gyso]

If he is still rehabbing, this gives him an opportunity for a good place to complete that phase of his return to play, Portland, Maine. Then he has a team to work himself into game shape.

Pre-injury, he was starting to open some people's eyes. Hopefully with the ME-C's, he can get back to that.

[bobheckler]

Bob
MY NOTE: This is why Payton is SO good.  Jaylen is 5-6" taller, 20-30# heavier and an excellent defender.  Playing against players like that will make or break you. It doesn't matter if Jaylen locked him up or not, that's the competition Payton needs to play with.


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[bobheckler]

Jayson Tatum talks about his altered shot and how grateful he is for his Celtics career


By Gary Washburn Globe Staff,
Updated October 10, 2024, 7:56 p.m.

By Gary Washburn
Globe Staff


Jayson Tatum is reluctant to reveal what he’s changed about his shot. What is known is that he did make adjustments to his release after struggling from the 3-point line during the Celtics’ championship run and the Paris Olympics.

Tatum unleashed his reformed release and made 6 of 14 3-point attempts during the Celtics’ two-game preseason stint against the Nuggets in Abu Dhabi.

“It was a couple of things,” he said when asked about his mechanical adjustments. “But I would just say the shot felt good. It felt good to be back on the court playing basketball again, being with the guys. We’ve still got a long road ahead but we had a good week out there and a good two preseason games.”

Tatum offered a little more detail on his reshaped release.

“Just working on staying forward, keeping my shoulders forward,” he said. “Gives you more power.”

There’s a photo the NBA posted on its social media page with a rookie Tatum at training camp back to back with Year 8 Tatum taken a few weeks ago. Tatum reflected on that 19-year-old rookie.

“Really just how different I am, how fast time has run by,” he said. “It makes me cherish these moments. I remember my first training camp in Rhode Island like it was yesterday. Now it’s Year 8. It’s made me reflect on all the things I’ve been able to accomplish since I’ve been with the team and in the NBA, made me kind of proud of myself, happy and hoping that these next eight years go by a little slower.”

Tatum has a championship, five All-Star selections, four All-NBA selections, an Eastern Conference Finals MVP and an All-Star MVP in his first seven seasons. Besides some painful playoff disappointment before the championship, Tatum said could not have scripted his first seven NBA seasons any better.

“Everything has happened for a reason and I couldn’t be happier, more thankful how my career has gone at 26 years old,” he said.

Tatum said he did watch the newly released Netflix series “Starting 5,” which details the 2023-24 season for Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Jimmy Butler. The 10-episode documentary chronicled all the ups and downs during each of their playoff runs. Tatum’s story, of course, is the lone one with a happy ending.

“I’m not going to lie, I skipped to episode 10 (Wednesday night),” he said. “I was emotional in a good way, reliving those moments, accomplishing a lifelong dream. That made me really joyful to watch that.”


Scrubb comes back

Jay Scrubb has never played an official game in a Celtics uniform, but the guard was welcomed back with open arms as he returned to the floor for the first time since tearing his ACL last October. Scrubb had earned a two-way contract and a chance to play for a championship-contending team when he landed awkwardly after a dunk and tore his right ACL on Oct. 8, 2023.

The Celtics waived Scrubb two weeks later but kept in touch with the former LA Clipper and brought him back on an Exhibit 10 deal. Scrubb’s likely next stop is G-League Maine as he vies for an NBA return.

“It’s been a battle, I had a tough injury, had to bounce back but just work hard to get back to where I was at,” he said. “I pretty much knew this is where I wanted to be at. They took good care of me through my rehab process, so I felt like this would be the best place for me to come back.”

Scrubb played well during the Las Vegas Summer League in 2023, earning a contract after stints with the Clippers and Orlando Magic. The Celtics were eager to work with Scrubb, 24, last season as a developmental project before the injury. Boston has filled all of its two-way slots this season with J.D. Davison, Drew Peterson and Anton Watson, meaning Scrubb is a candidate for Maine.

The 55th overall pick in 2020 said the Celtics have been supportive during his ordeal.

“I’ve been able to lean on the whole organization, just different guys and being at that pinnacle and almost there and them letting me know it can happen,” Scrubb said.

“Everybody’s been in my corner, from the Celtics to my family, everybody.” Scrubb said during his rehabilitation, which he labeled as “brutal,” he became more of a student of the game, studying video and realizing that he spent most of his previous professional career getting by on his athleticism.

“Learning about different players, studying players at my position,” Scrubb said. “Those were the things I wanted to improve on, being a student of the game, learning that aspect. Now I want to take my I.Q. to another level and I’ve loved it. I’m learning new things about myself and it’s easy to enjoy that.”


Horford expected to play

Coach Joe Mazzulla said Al Horford, who was held out of the two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, will make at least one appearance in the final three preseason games. The Celtics have a home back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday against the 76ers and Raptors then conclude the preseason Tuesday in Toronto.


Bob


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[bobheckler]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5835086/2024/10/11/jordan-walsh-defense-trust-celtics/?source=freedailyemail&campaign=601983&userId=13921316



Jordan Walsh is trusting simple things, leaning on Jrue Holiday to become Celtics’ top defender




BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 14: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics and Anthony Gill #16 of the Washington Wizards reach for a loose ball during the second quarter at the TD Garden on April 14, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)


By Jay King
5h ago



BOSTON — Shortly before the Celtics opened preseason last weekend, a question from Joe Mazzulla offered Jordan Walsh a new perspective on his role with the team. In a discussion about what Walsh would need to do on the court, Mazzulla emphasized all the dirty work the second-year pro would need to embrace.

“You’ve gotta rebound, crash, defend at a high level, sprint, you might not get the ball, rebound again, go play defense,” Mazzulla said, as Walsh recalled Thursday afternoon.

Walsh said he could do it all. Whatever the team needed. That’s easy, he told his coach.

“Is it?” Mazzulla asked.

The response made Walsh think. At that moment, he said the difficulty of his assignment clicked for him. It wouldn’t be hard to convince himself to buy into the role. The hard part would be living up to the role repeatedly, on each possession, no matter what. Glamour doesn’t always come to the hustle guys and defensive stoppers, but the best never let anything stop them from fulfilling their primary responsibilities.

“It’s easy to think something that simple could be easy,” Walsh said Thursday while standing near the Celtics practice court. “But when you’re tired, when you’re in the flow of a game, when you haven’t gotten so many shots, other stuff starts to creep in. So now you’ve gotta convince yourself, like, all right, we’ve gotta do this over and over again.”

After rarely playing for Boston during his rookie season, Walsh sees a bigger opportunity for himself now. He played significant minutes with the bench during the team’s first two preseason games, suggesting he is in the running for a bench spot behind Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser. Walsh said the Celtics aren’t asking anything new of him this season, but with a year of experience, he feels better equipped to handle the demands.

The early preseason returns have illustrated how he could potentially impact the team. Over two games, Walsh leads the Celtics in blocks with three and is tied for second in steals with two. Crashing the glass like Mazzulla wanted, Walsh has picked up three offensive rebounds. He has also shown off solid court vision with five assists. Even while his outside shooting has looked like a potential problem (he is 4 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 9 from downtown), he has contributed elsewhere.

“Just defensively, being able to be versatile and guard all five positions,” Mazzulla said. “Offensively, being able to be versatile, knowing what the matchup is, knowing what the coverage is, and knowing what the right solution to the coverage is. And I thought he did a really good job on both ends of the floor (over the first two preseason games).”

It’s not always easy for a young player to do everything the Celtics want from Walsh. To realize the points won’t always come. To prioritize everything but individual statistics. To defend relentlessly on play after play. To stay steady in a league that will regularly test a player’s confidence.

In July, Walsh expressed disappointment over the way he approached the beginning of summer league. He believed he cared too much about putting the ball in the bucket at the expense of the smaller details. In an attempt to take flight, he instead crashed to the ground while shooting 29.1 percent from the field throughout five games. The experience reminded him he needed to focus on filling the role the coaching staff emphasized to him. Even when not actually next to Jayson Tatum, Walsh wanted to play like he would play to complement the Celtics star.

Walsh said the summer league struggles motivated him over the rest of the offseason. He lifted more. He ate better. He put up extra jump shots. During the early part of preseason, he has bounced back. Mazzulla appreciated the way Walsh responded to his wobbly summer league performance.

“He’s approached it with great trust,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s hard for young guys to trust that the most simplest things, you’ll be rewarded for, and it’s hard to trust that when you’re young. And so I get the perspective that he had, but he’s made a conscious change in his perspective of just trusting that the most important things are the simple things, and that’s what you’re being judged on, and that’s kind of how you grow. And I think the first two games, he’s really shown that.”

As much as Walsh wanted to score more at summer league, the Celtics coaches stressed all the other areas he could impact.

“It’s affirming that the simple things will get rewarded,” Mazzulla said. “And I think it’s the way that you have to hold those guys accountable to that is just giving them a clear understanding of like, ‘These are the things that you’re being judged on, not the external stuff that you can’t control or that you may think is important. And so here’s what’s actually important, and when you do that, you’re going to get better and you’re going to help our team.’ And he’s done a good job of adjusting for them.”

Walsh, 20, still has plenty of room to develop. Eventually, he hopes to become one of the NBA’s top defenders. He said he has tried his best to learn from teammate Jrue Holiday’s tenacity and technique.

“I’ve been talking a lot to Jrue, trying to get his point of view, his take on defense and a whole bunch of other stuff,” Walsh said. “The main thing is I want to be able to be one of the best defenders in the league. For me to get there I need to have mentors and guys that I can follow. And Jrue is a prime example for that.

“So just trying to watch film on him, see what he does, see his technique, talk to him, get his perspective. Just stuff like that, I feel like it might not pay off this year or next year, but when it comes time when I’m playing consecutive minutes in the NBA, I can take on those attributes and those habits and apply them to myself.”

Walsh’s time for NBA minutes could come soon. Despite a roster stocked with returners from last season’s championship team, the Celtics have some open minutes near the end of the bench following Oshae Brissett’s departure. Walsh said he is hoping to force his way into Mazzulla’s plans.

“I’m approaching it as if there’s a spot available for me and I have a chance to go after it,” Walsh said. “I feel like that’s how everybody should take it. I feel like there was an open window. I feel like there is. And I feel like if I go hard enough and try to execute the right way, then I can get through that window. Obviously, it’s still going on, preseason’s long for us, so just being able to take every moment as such, and just think that there’s something I’m going after, there’s a spot there for me, and I’ve gotta try as hard as I can to get it.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  Jaylen Brown was the #3 pick in the draft.  He came to the NBA with a reputation as a high-quality defender but limited scorer.  He came off the bench his rookie year, earning only 1341 minutes, which is nothing for a #3 pick.  Now look at him.  He's been a 20+ppg scorer for the last 5 straight years.  Focus on what got you here, Jordan, worry about the other stuff later.  Oshae played 630 minutes last year in 55 games.  You played 83 minutes.  You're saying you're approaching it as if there's a spot available for you?  Oshae's not with us this year, so his minutes are available.  There's your spot.

I'd love to know how much weight and muscle he added this summer in the gym.  Oshae and Jordan are about the same height and weight,  Oshae was listed at 210# vs 205# for Jordan, so physically he can fill the role.




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[bobheckler]

Bobby Manning
@RealBobManning
Jay Scrubb on the floor at Auerbach Center. First time we’ve seen him working out since the ACL tear. He’s still a few weeks away from game action, but took part in his first practice since the injury today.

https://x.com/RealBobManning/status/1844432476170780785


Bob
MY NOTE:  The camera didn't pan to the rim every time, so I cannot confirm every shot, but the ones I could verify he went 5-9 from 3.  Even if he missed all of the ones I couldn't see he'd still be 5-11, and that's not too shabby.

Yeah, I know he's Maine-bound, but he's still a "feel good story".


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[bobheckler]

Bob


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[bobheckler]

Bob
MY NOTE: This is why Payton is SO good.  Jaylen is 5-6" taller, 20-30# heavier and an excellent defender.  Playing against players like that will make or break you.  It doesn't matter if Jaylen locked him up or not, that's the competition Payton needs to play with.


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Payton sets the record straight!  





Bob


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[bobheckler]

Jay King @ByJayKing
yesterday
The Celtics are signing Hason Ward to an exhibit-10 contract, per sources. The big man, who played high school ball at Central High School in Springfield, was on Iowa State’s Sweet 16 squad last season after starting his college career at VCU.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Undrafted.  6'9", 230#, 7'4" wingspan, played for Sacto in SL.  Maine-bound.  Signing him to an Exhibit 10 allows the Celtics to retain his G-League rights.  Same idea as with Lonnie Walker IV, except that I cannot see him going to Maine, someone will snap him up if we release him.

7'4" wingspan on a 6'9" body is a 1.086:1 wingspan-to-height ratio.  NBA players have better than average ratios, for obvious reasons.  The NBA average is 1.06:1 (average for us mere mortals is 1:1).  If Hason Ward had a "normal" wingspan for a 6'9" NBA basketball player it'd be 7' 1 1/2".  So this kid is an albatross.

To make room on the roster for Ward the Celtics waived Skapintsev.  No surprise.  I'm a little surprised he hasn't already been signed to Maine but no biggie either way.  He didn't stand out.





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[bobheckler]

Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
yesterday
Payton Pritchard this preseason: 30 AST 4 TOV pic.x.com/ibfsiTZAlm


Bob
MY NOTE: 30:4 = 7.5:1 and that is really freaking good. Won't hold up in the regular season, the talent is bigger, faster, more experienced but even half that would make him better than most point guards in the league.


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[bobheckler]

https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/jordan-walsh-joe-mazzulla-advice/658227/



The Joe Mazzulla advice that changed everything for Jordan Walsh


Walsh is entering Year 2 with a clearer mindset thanks in part to his head coach.


By Chris Forsberg, Celtics Insider • Published October 16, 2024 • Updated on October 16, 2024 at 11:08 am



Life as an NBA rookie can be a real roller coaster. Just ask Jordan Walsh.

One minute you’re a 19-year-old kid dumped into a new city on a team overflowing with talent and wondering if you’ll ever get an opportunity to show you belong. The next, your teammates are swarming you and delivering the game ball after you scored your first NBA points.

One minute you’re being dragged on stage in front of all your veteran teammates and asked for an impromptu performance of a Boyz II Men song that came out 13 years before you were born. The next you’re riding a duck boat through a sea of a million delirious Celtics fans and reveling in the team’s 18th world title.

The only thing more pressure-packed than trying to create a dance to “Motownphilly" (it had to be “Motownphilly," right? No one should ever be asked to dance to “I’ll Make Love to You” or “End of the Road”) is the mere 83 minutes you’ll play as a rookie, trying to prove you belong while only getting 15 shots over nine appearances.

Each one of those misses gnaws at you. And then you go to Summer League with a bigger opportunity to show what you can do and you cannot buy a 3-point make.


That’s when your coach, the same one who forced you on stage for that darn Boyz II Men performance, offers some of the simplest advice and takes some of the twists and turns out of the roller coaster.

“[Head coach Joe Mazzulla has a] rule where you get one care to give and then, after that, you gotta let it go,” explained Walsh. “So, he’s been telling me the biggest thing is you get one care to give -- he didn’t use care, it’s a different word -- but, yeah, one care to give.”

To paraphrase Ralphie in “A Christmas Story," Mazzulla didn’t say “care.” He said THE word. The big one. The queen mother of dirty words. The F-dash-dash-dash word.

So Walsh is doing his best to give one, ahem, care, and move on.

“I’m trying. I’m really trying,” said Walsh. “I’m working on it.”


Walsh astonishingly missed the first 22 3-pointers he attempted at Summer League in July. After busting that slump at the tail end of the Vegas foray, he admitted he put too much pressure on himself at the summer exhibition. He leaned into Mazzulla’s care-shedding advice and pledged to be better when the Celtics convened for training camp.

Walsh might have been the most pleasant surprise of the Celtics’ five-game preseason slate that wrapped Tuesday night in Toronto. Walsh logged 104 total minutes, the second-highest total behind only Payton Pritchard, and showed the sort of progress that leaves you wondering if he could be a rotational presence despite Boston’s league-best depth this season.

Walsh’s 3-point shot looked smoother (though he swears there’s been no mechanical changes) and he connected on 36.8 percent of his attempts (7 of 19). He nearly muscled home a game-winning layup at the buzzer in Toronto but had plenty of quality moments that could position him to snag some of the minutes left behind by the departure of Oshae Brissett.

Jordan Walsh having himself a game

He's up to 14 points and 6 boards pic.twitter.com/nyxxIhMJce

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 14, 2024


The defense, his college calling card, was stout. There’s a role for Walsh as a gritty, defense-first player who rolls up his sleeves and does the dirty work.

The missed shots still nag at him, but Walsh knows he must give one care, then it’s on to the next play.

After all, there are plenty of highs ahead. The Celtics open the season Tuesday night against the New York Knicks and players will receive their championship rings. Walsh spent much of the Celtics’ championship parade pointing at his ring finger, while boat-mate Luke Kornet worked the crowd into a championship lather throughout the ride.

More importantly, Walsh will log the first game of his sophomore season on Tuesday and finally shed the rookie title. His rookie duties have been mild to start the new season, but he hasn't even benefited from the addition of two new first-year players in Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson.

“They’re older than me, so I can’t really tell them what to do,” shrugged Walsh.

So Walsh is focused on what he can control, like putting his best foot forward whenever opportunities come along.


Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images


Jordan Walsh averaged 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during an encouraging preseason for the second-year wing.
“Hopefully, going into this next year, I'll be a way better version of myself,” said Walsh. “Hopefully I'll have the opportunity that I want. If not, it's OK. But just striving for greatness, striving to finally get to a level that I think that I can get to. Maybe it's not this year, maybe it's next year, but making strides to get to that level.”

And how might that manifest itself on the court?

"Hopefully better shooting ability, better decisions and playmaking ability,” said Walsh. "When I'm with Boston, making the right play every single time.”

But he knows now that things don’t always go as planned. You’ve got to be able to adjust on the fly and move on. Sometimes a greater reward awaits. Just like he found out on parade day.

"I thought that it was gonna be a quiet like stroll, a ride through the city,” said Walsh. “I thought Luke was gonna just like chill. But he got me into it. And I was like, ‘All right, now we're counting. We're interacting with the fans.’ Like, he made it more and more fun ...

"I think the best part, Luke started a chant. We were counting from one to 18. And when we got to 18, everybody went crazy. That was definitely the most amazing part.”

Those are the sort of moments that make all the ups and downs of the roller coaster worth it.


Bob





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[bobheckler]

Bobby Manning: Sources: #Celtics waived Ron Harper Jr., Jay Scrubb and Hason Ward today. All three likely Maine bound. Lonnie Walker IV remains on the roster for now. Deadline to make a decision on him is 5PM on Saturday. 2 hours ago – via Twitter RealBobManning


Bob
MY NOTE:  I see Walker still being on the team as a positive.  It's like they're trying to figure out how to keep him.  There are no more games left for him to showcase, they've had ample opportunities to see how well he fits in the locker room and his learning curve with Joe's playbook.  There's no reason to not release him so he has a chance hooking on with another team unless they don't want him to leave.  The choices, to me, are obvious:  sign him to the 15th spot; trade someone for a draft pick and/or cash to create two openings, and reduce the payroll, and sign him to one of them; or cut/trade one of the two-way players and give him that until after the trade deadline and our needs due to injuries are clearer.



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