NBA Notebook: Jordan Walsh making mark on Celtics starting lineup into third season

Jordan Walsh and Jaylen Brown sit together on the Celtics' flights now, following Kristaps Porziņģis' departure last offseason. Walsh saw an open seat early and took one next to Boston's star, who became a mentor, advocate and someone Walsh aspired to play like and alongside. Brown, Walsh recalled, almost immediately began discussing how the Celtics needed a defensive wing to emerge who focused on stopping the opponent's best player. He believed Walsh could handle the job, so he took the suggestion to Joe Mazzulla. 

"Jordan has the body type to do it," Brown said. "He's athletic ... he got a 6-7 frame, long arms and I've seen him in practice be, defensively, very active. Those 6-7 wings, they give trouble to smaller guards, the Brunsons, the Maxeys, putting a bigger body on them. We have a lot of small guards on our team, so we have to bring that level of physicality." 

Walsh mostly sat on the Celtics' bench through their first seven games before appearing in garbage time against the Rockets and scoring 10 points. That, alongside Brown's urging, earned him rotation minutes against the Wizards when Boston opened the game slowly in the first quarter. He posted seven points, seven rebounds and two steals that night, turned that into a strong week and began the next one guarding Tyrese Maxey down the stretch in Philadelphia. The Celtics lost that game late, but Walsh thrived late playing in place of Josh Minott, who had run away with the starting power forward role previously. Mazzulla swapped them on the following night and Walsh started the following eight games. 

Into his third NBA season, following two years where he mostly played in Maine, or sat and watched the NBA team, Walsh averaged 6.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 50% from the field and 36.4% from three. That allowed Walsh to fill the important rebounding and shooting roles next to Neemias Queta that Minott stabilized through his run, while focusing primarily on his intriguing defensive stopper role. Walsh held Maxey, an All-NBA caliber player to begin 2025-26, to 1-for-9 shooting across six minutes guarding him in Philadelphia. He then turned to Jaren Jackson Jr. two nights later, shutting him down to 0-for-5 on the shots he guarded. Cade Cunningham went 0-for-6, Donovan Mitchell shot 2-for-8 on Sunday and James Harden finished 3-for-7 amid his scorching start to the season -- albeit while drawing 11 free throws. 

Mazzulla credited Walsh's emergence and success in those variety of matchups to his careful studying of player tendencies with Boston's assistant coaches. 

"That's huge," Walsh said on The Garden Report earlier this month. "For example, if Tyrese Maxey wants to go right, and I make him go left and shoot a spin fadeaway jumper, I win. Even if he makes it, I win, our team wins. So knowing what he wants to do, and making him do the exact opposite." 

With Harden ahead on the schedule two weeks ago, Walsh went through walkthrough repetitions in the days prior. He practiced shutting off Harden's left hand and giving him enough space on his step-back jumper so that officials don't whistle him for a foul. For the 21-year-old who imagined himself in this position, albeit with Jayson Tatum healthy, the experience guarding one of basketball's greatest scorers ever in Harden didn't starstruck him. He saw it as an opportunity to shut him down and make a name for himself. 

Harden agreed. He initially refused to comment on Walsh's efforts after the Celtics' win over the Clippers, but managed to credit Walsh for doing what he needs to do to make it in the league. He's seen it all, so a modest effort by Walsh in slowing Harden on his way to 37 points didn't fully resonate. Even Mazzulla didn't go too far in praising, or consoling, Walsh following an uptick in foul calls late. Harden erupted for 18 points in the fourth quarter. Walsh focused on how he made him feel. 

"For three quarters, I think I did a great job, I think the team did a great job at guarding him," Walsh said. "In the fourth quarter, things got away, I started fouling him and so I put him on the line. Thankfully, we got out of the game with the win, but it's more about the urgency of being solid. It's probably two or three possessions I look at where it's like alright, you could've done better in these possessions, but I don't have much time to stay on that when the next game, I gotta guard Michael Porter Jr. or whoever it is. I always gotta shift my focus to a new player every night." 

Walsh's rise comes at an important time in his career, he's extension-eligible this summer ahead of the final year of his rookie deal, and in the team's trajectory as they assess who can help them contend for a championship again when Tatum returns. Walsh held dreams of playing and impacting alongside Tatum and Brown when Boston drafted him 38th overall out of Arkansas at 19. He took a back seat in college, too, behind other future NBA players despite his own five-star high school pedigree. In an uneven college season he played frenetic on-ball defense so intense that he fouled often. He took risks. He tried to get away with contact. And when he arrived in Boston to the clear sign he wouldn't receive a chance to play immediately, he talked to Al Horford and Jrue Holiday for advice. He saw how they became elite NBA defenders and began to implement tips and tricks into his own game. Holiday taught him about leverage, and how he can use a defender's momentum against them. Then, Walsh spent most of his rookie year in the G-League. 

It's easy to forget, but he re-joined Boston for their championship run, able to watch what it takes, celebrate and put on a ring the following October. 

The Celtics saw enough in his second training camp to keep him around the team in Boston, though he only played sparse minutes into year two. Opponents left him open in the corner during his brief appearances, so he volunteered to play in Maine for a game then took part in a third Summer League in Vegas in July, a rarity for third-year players. He wanted to avenge the previous year, where he struggled immensely while trying to show his individual skills rather than playing within the team concept. Officials threw him out of a game following an altercation inches from Boston's front office brass, and Mazzulla texted him -- loving it. 

Walsh had started before when he got the call for the Memphis game on Nov. 12 after his exploits in Philadelphia the previous night. This still felt like a milestone moment, joining Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Brown in a game with real stakes after a bad loss. He didn't receive a heads-up from Mazzulla or much of a message prior. He just looked up and saw it on the Celtics' prep powerpoint before the game. And an hour or two later, he received more motivation to player harder when Boston's opening presentation accidentally introduced him as Minott. 

"It was definitely an honor," Walsh said. "It was messed up that in the starting lineup, my name wasn't mentioned on the Jumbotron. Of course I noticed, that's why I didn't stand up and I didn't even walk through it, because I was like alright, but besides that, being able to play, being able to get a chance to impact the game from the start is obviously huge and something I don't take for granted. It was fuel for me, honestly ... I was like alright cool, it was just added motivation for me to come out and play harder." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta (13-8): Pay attention to what Jalen Johnson is doing. With Trae Young out, his young Hawks co-star has averaged 23.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 8.1 APG on 53.0% FG (43.8% 3PT) and is poised to make the All-Star Game. Young's absence also allowed Nickeil Alexander-Walker to become a starter and post 21.4 PPG on 48.1% FG (39.8% 3PT). The Hawks have won 11-of-16 since Young went down with an MCL sprain one month ago, and he'll reportedly miss at least two more weeks before his next evaluation. Atlanta did not agree to an extension in the offseason with Young, setting him up for free agency and now a critical second half when he returns. Johnson became the first Hawk since Young (2020) to post multiple triple-doubles in a season when he scored 29 points with 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a win over the Cavs on Friday. 

Boston (11-9)/Detroit (16-4): The Celtics shocked the top-seeded Pistons without Neemias Queta (ankle) on Wednesday. Detroit fell one win short of setting a franchise record with a 14-game win streak when Cade Cunningham missed the game-tying free throw after scoring 40 points to that point. Officials overturned an intentional foul on the floor by the Celtics, who led by three points, into a three-point shooting foul that nearly forced overtime. Jaylen Brown scored 33 points in 34 minutes with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Luka Garza started at center against Detroit, but two-way center Amari Williams played more often (15 min.) and closed the game alongside small ball looks for Boston. Williams successfully limited Jalen Duren in his minutes. The loss knocked the Pistons out of the NBA Cup, so they and the Celtics will meet again at TD Garden on Dec. 15. Boston travels to Milwaukee on Dec. 11 for its other re-scheduled game during Cup week. Payton Pritchard fell one point short of his career high with 42 in Cleveland while Derrick White and Queta rested. Queta returned from only missing one game in Minnesota the previous night and posted 19 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. 

Brooklyn (3-16): Michael Scotto reported that the Celtics and Nets discussed an Anfernee Simons trade during the offseason that did not materialize after Boston acquired Simons from Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade. Retaining Simons and Sam Hauser kept the Celtics $12 million above the luxury tax line, but gave the team until the trade deadline to explore trades that better fit the team's long-term plans. Scotto mentioned Boston's unwillingness to attach a first-round pick to move off Simons' $27.7 million salary, which expires at the end of the season. Hauser plays on a bargain four-year, $45 million deal, though he's struggled shooting to begin the year. The Celtics also expressed interest in Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe, Scotto reported, who ultimately signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract to return to the Nets in July. Brooklyn maintains $15.3 million in cap space. 

Cleveland (12-9): Jarrett Allen (finger) returned from a three-game absence for the Cavs' loss to the Hawks, but will now miss at least another week with what the team described as a non-displaced fracture. Depth big Larry Nance Jr. (calf) left Friday's loss and will miss roughly 3-4 weeks with a Grade 1 strain. Sam Merrill (hand) remained out for a sixth straight game while the Cavs fell behind by as many as 21 points to the short-handed Celtics at home, losing to them after their late comeback attempt fell two points short. Cavaliers players expressed frustration after lost their third straight game and fell to 5-5 over their last 10, now sitting the east's seventh seed only 0.5 games ahead of Boston. 

“We could sit here and say we’re frustrated. We’re all professionals here. We just gotta do our job,” Jaylon Tyson said. ”Everybody’s gotta do their job, right? We see it, we talk about it over and over again. We’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do that, and we just don’t execute. So that’s on us, and we gotta find a way to win these games.”

Dallas (6-15)/Lakers (14-4): Anthony Davis (calf) returned from a 14-game absence in a loss to his former Lakers team, who clinched a return to the NBA Cup that Davis and LA won two seasons ago. Davis scored 12 points with five rebounds, five assists and three blocks on 6-for-10 shooting in 28 minutes. D'Angelo Russell received DNP-CDs in four of his last five games as Dallas searches for reliable point guard play. LA, led by Luka Dončić's 35 points and 11 assists, has now won all three games against Dallas since the Mavs traded Dončić to them in February. LeBron James narrowly avoided losing his 1,296-game streak of double-figure scoring games, which began during the 2006-07 season on Jan. 6. James has averaged 16.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 8.3 APG on 49.1% shooting, but it appears possible he could lose that streak this year alongside his 21 straight All-NBA appearances. He can only miss two more games for the rest of the season to remain eligible. LA will face the Spurs in the NBA Cup quarterfinals in LA on Dec. 10 at 10 p.m. 

Golden State (11-10): A tough start to the season got worse when Steph Curry (quad) limped off the court with what the team initially called a contusion. Steve Kerr expressed relief at hearing that diagnosis, though an MRI only revealed a contusion and muscle strain. It's unclear when Curry, who missed Friday's practice, will return, but De'Anthony Melton (ACL) could begin filling in for him this week alongside Brandin Podziemski. Melton practiced this week and could return on the Warriors' three-game road trip. Jonathan Kuminga (knee tendonitis) returned from a seven-game absence on Saturday and scored 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench in a win over the Pelicans. 

Indiana (4-16): Fell to last place in the east before beating the Wizards to move past them, then scoring a second straight win for the first time this season over the Bulls on Pascal Siakam's last-second shot. Siakam, who scored 24 points in both wins, stressed that he's not giving up on Indiana's season despite their horrid start and a stunning number of injuries. Andrew Nembhard landed among them again last week after suffering a quad contusion, but he only missed the Washington game before returning with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting. 

Clippers (5-15): Season teetering on disaster even with Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup, averaging 27.0 PPG on 52.1% shooting since his return from an ankle and foot injury. The Clippers lost all four games. They've now dropped 12-of-14 and sit 12th in the west, 2.5 games behind the Grizzlies, who beat them on Friday despite Leonard's 39 points. Leonard sounded off about the Clippers' lineups after they lost to the Lakers earlier in the week, calling for the team to play with better talent, play better and make shots. LA ranks 20th in offense and 25th in defense, ahead of only the Nets and Wizards on that end. The Clippers blew a 16-point first-half lead in their lost to Memphis, which Ivica Zubac emphasized. 

“We’re not playing the right way. It feels a little bit mental," Zubac said. "The second half we got to string some wins, man. We got to string some wins.”

Miami (13-7)/Orlando (12-8): The Heat and Magic meet in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. in Orlando, only four days after they meet in a regular-season game in the same building. Miami won six straight games and 9-of-11 before losing to the Pistons, 138-135, on Saturday. They rank 13th in offense and third in defense, more recently able to win both high-scoring and defensive games. The Magic bounced back from their injury-riddled loss in Boston by steamrolling the 76ers, 144-103, and beating Detroit in Cup matchups to advance in the tournament. Desmond Bane scored 37 points in Detroit while Paolo Banchero (groin) missed an eighth straight game. The Magic also moved into a tie for fifth in the east by winning 8-of-10. They rank ninth in offense and 11th in defense, in an effective tie with Boston for ninth in the NBA in net rating (+4.9, +4.7). Banchero said last Sunday that he's pretty close to returning. 

Milwaukee (9-12): Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from an adductor strain with 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists on 10-for-14 shooting in a loss to the Knicks on Friday that marked Milwaukee's seventh straight, their worst streak since Antetokounmpo's rookie season. Antetokounmpo sounded off in the locker room after, calling for the team to fix its mindset and get their competitive spirit back. The Bucks began the season 8-5 but fell to 21st in offense and 22nd in defense this week due in part to Antetokounmpo's absence for four games. Antetokounmpo also called for everyone to put winning ahead of individual interests and more ball movement. He expects to see his minutes increase from 28 with each passing game. Ryan Rollins received praise from his championship teammate this week, averaging 17.9 PPG on 48.3% FG (40.3% 3PT) to begin his third Bucks season. He credited Bucks coaching adviser Rajon Rondo, in part, for that emergence. Milwaukee ended the streak with a win over the Nets on Sunday behind Antetokounmpo's 29 points. 

"You cannot worry about one shot or two shots that you miss, which took four seconds out of the game to dictate 47 minutes, 56 seconds of the game," Antetokounmpo said. "So we got to get back to that mindset. We got to get into the mindset that we got to compete. We got to get to the mindset that this is not a one-man show, that we have to do it together.

Minnesota (12-8): Dropped their entire three-game road trip to the Suns, Kings and Thunder, all three going down to the wire. Wolves players held a private meeting after Chris Finch called the team lifeless in their loss to Sacramento. They met a steakhouse on Tuesday to break bread before Anthony Edwards slammed the door on a Celtics comeback attempt on Saturday by hitting a late off-balance three. Boston won the first half by 10 points before Minnesota outscored the Celtics by 20 to begin the second, and held Boston to six points through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter. Edwards scored 39 points on 12-for-24 shooting, winning a battle with Jaylen Brown, who dropped 41 for the Celtics. Sitting Rudy Gobert late the next night against the Spurs, the Wolves won again behind Edwards' 32 and Julius Randle's 22. 

“It’s the perfect time to bring it all back together, perspective, who we want to be, what we want to accomplish on the court, how we can be better as a team, as players," Mike Conley said. “But also, it’s OK to eat, enjoy each other and watch other basketball games and talk basketball and not be all about business all the time. Sometimes you need that.”

New York (13-6)/Toronto (14-7): The Knicks will meet the Raptors in the NBA Cup on 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 after rolling through the Bucks behind Jalen Brunson's 37 points. Mike Brown made that case for Brunson as MVP, with the star averaging 28.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 6.2 APG on 47.8% shooting (37% 3PT). Basketball Reference does not list him among their statistical contenders, but numerous contenders stand at risk of not reaching the 65-game minimum to become eligible for awards. Brunson only missed two of the Knicks' first 16 games. Josh Hart, who dealt with numerous injuries early this year, looked closer to himself over the past eight games, averaging 15.3 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG and 1.9 SPG while shooting 54.2% FG (42.4% 3PT). The Raptors will evaluate RJ Barrett (knee) this week, who avoided structural damage, but missed the last three games with a sprain. Toronto lost its 10-game win streak at Charlotte on Friday and fell to New York on Sunday by 22 points, but remains in the midst of a startling turnaround season. 

Oklahoma City (20-1): Jalen Williams (wrist) made his season debut against the Suns, scoring 14 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Thunder didn't stay fully healthy for long, losing Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) for the next 10-14 days at least after he sat out Friday's win with ankle soreness. Center Jaylin Williams assumed 21 minutes and scored 14 points in his place. Oklahoma City ranks fourth in offense and first in defense by more than 7.0 points per 100 possessions. Their net rating advantage over the No. 2 Rockets is 3.3 points per 100 possessions. Even while missing one key rotation player at a time, they're the best team in the league by miles. As they chase the 2016 Warriors for the best record in NBA history, they actually fell one win short of Golden State's 20-0 start that year. They're the fourth team to start a season 19-1. The Warriors lost their first game on Dec. 12 after starting 24-0. 

Philadelphia (10-9): Joel Embiid (knee) returned on Sunday for an overtime loss to the Hawks after initially being ruled out that morning for a 10th straight game with pain in the knee opposite of the one he underwent offseason surgery on. Adem Bona (ankle) returned with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks after missing five games. Paul George averaged 13.5 PPG on 43.9% FG (33.3% 3PT) through his first four appearances back from offseason surgery. He dealt with back tightness in the loss to Atlanta. Embiid scored 18 points in 30 minutes.