BOSTON — When Boston Celtics wing Jordan Walsh was drafted back in 2023, he was still a 19-year-old teenager. Two years later, Celtics star Jaylen Brown says he believes Walsh has come of age in the NBA, and it's not just because he's in his twenties now.
Walsh dazzled on Tuesday night during a gutsy 123-1117 win against the New York Knicks, notching 6 of his 8 points in the fourth quarter and grabbing 3 crucial offensive rebounds in the final six minutes of the contest. His shining moment also came in the clutch, as Brown dished it to him in the corner with the game on the line and just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Walsh proceeded to reward Brown's faith by pump-faking Knicks 7-footer Karl-Anthony Towns and driving to the basket for a tough layup.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe youngster's big bucket gave Boston a 115-110 lead with 2:13 remaining and helped the C's curb the surging Knicks, who trailed by 18 earlier in the quarter.
"I'm starting to see Jordan playing like a grown man," Brown remarked in his postgame press conference. "It's amazing to see just from him coming out of his shell, being aggressive."
Two days prior to Walsh's late-game heroics, he recorded a career-high 14 points in a close win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. His 38 minutes (another career-high) in that outing are a far cry from the 7.8 minutes per game he averaged last season, and they exemplify how much more the Celtics trust him.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"He's learning every day," Brown said. "So, I'm loving it."
Due to his effort, Walsh will likely find himself in the starting lineup for the 10th time this season when the 12-9 Celtics face the 3-17 Washington Wizards in D.C. on Thursday night. If he continues to play "grown man" basketball, it's not hard to imagine the former second-round pick remaining in that role for a majority of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics wing Jordan Walsh has come of age, according to Jaylen Brown
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