Why Jordan Walsh asked to spend his day off with the Maine Celtics

PORTLAND, MAINE — After the Celtics fell to the Grizzlies on Saturday night time — their fifth sport in seven nights — the gamers all seemed ahead to a highly-anticipated day without work.

However, Jordan Walsh, who noticed restricted on-court minutes with Boston throughout that stretch, simply needed to play extra basketball.

So, when he realized that the Maine Celtics’ Sunday sport on the Portland Expo coincided with a day without work for the father or mother membership, he needed to play. Up to now this season, after spending most of his rookie season in Portland, the second-year ahead hasn’t spent a day within the G League.

“I requested if I may come down and play on this sport throughout apply yesterday,” Walsh stated after the Maine Celtics’ 109-108 loss to the Greensboro Swarm on Sunday. “I requested a few of my PD [player development] coaches.”

The Celtics had been pleased to accommodate his request.

“Brad [Stevens] referred to as me, and stated, ‘you need to go down?’” Walsh stated. “I used to be like, ‘can I play in a sport actual fast?’ and he was like, ‘yeah.’

Not solely did the Celtics teaching employees grant Walsh his want, however they even accompanied him; director of participant growth Craig Luschenat and participant enhancement coach Nana Foulland each made the journey as much as Portland on their off day, too.

Jordan Walsh excelled in his Maine Celtics season debut

Walsh spent most of final 12 months in Maine after getting drafted No. 38 total in 2023. However, he has spent all of his sophomore season with Boston up to now, capitalizing on some early-season accidents to Sam Hauser (again) and Jaylen Brown (hip). In sixteen video games performed, Walsh averaged 9.3 minutes and drew reward from his teammates.

“Every time his quantity’s been referred to as, he’s achieved a tremendous job,” stated Jrue Vacation. “It’s not a lot concerning the scoring — it’s extra about how he’s impacted the sport.”

Walsh flourished in his return to Maine, ending with 20 factors (8-12 FG), 5 rebounds, an help, a block, and a steal. He additionally hit 3 of seven three-pointers and defended at a excessive stage.

Maybe most telling, he completed the night time with a plus/minus of +21, the very best of any participant on both workforce.

“I believed he was phenomenal immediately — along with his confidence, with the screening, along with his protection,” stated Maine head coach Tyler Lashbrook. “I felt actually snug with him on the market, and I’ve seen him take steps over the summer season after which, by way of August and September, and that translated to some taking part in time with Boston. And also you noticed it immediately — he was actually, actually, actually good.”

Lashbrook, who was additionally a member of the participant growth employees final 12 months in Boston, beloved that Walsh took the initiative to ask to play in Maine.

“That was thrilling to listen to — he needs to be part of this,” Lashbrook stated. “He needs to play. On the finish of the day, he’s a basketball participant. That’s what these guys do — they need to play.”

For Walsh, it was a no brainer.

“It simply made sense,” Walsh stated. “We had a pair off days. These guys had a back-to-back. I do know possibly a few of them need to relaxation a bit of bit. However, greater than something, I simply needed to return play.”

Plus, he returned to a hero’s welcome. Walsh turned a fan favourite in Maine throughout his rookie season and was met with raucous applause when his identify was first introduced.

“I felt like Marcus Good in Boston after I checked into the sport,” Walsh stated. “It was fairly cool. Then, they blew up on the primary bucket too, which was additionally fairly cool. It exhibits that right here in Maine, they’ve lots of love for me.”

Making the journey up north additionally meant that Walsh, who prefers the meals in Portland to the meals in Boston, may dine at a few of his favourite native eating places from his time in Maine. After his postgame media availability, he was keen to move out to Leeward, his favourite restaurant.

Then, he headed again to Boston, the place he’ll rejoin the Boston Celtics.

The Maine Celtics fell to the Swarm after a controversial late whistle

A come-from-behind sport ended up in disappointment for the Maine Celtics because of a late-game name. The G League adheres to the Elam Ending guidelines for extra time, that means that reasonably than play for an allotted period of time, groups play to 7 extra time factors.

With the rating tied at 108 (and the goal rating set at 109), rookie Anton Watson appeared to steal the ball on the ultimate play with a transparent lane to the basket. The referees referred to as a late foul, and subsequently, a technical foul was issued on an incredulous Tyler Lashbrook.

Lashbrook was tight-lipped concerning the name postgame, merely noting he would “disagree very kindly” with the referees’ choice to name a foul.

The Celtics’ different rookie, Baylor Scheierman, famous he didn’t have an excellent look in real-time, however that “trying on the replay, clearly it seemed fairly clear.”

Whatever the sport’s final result, Walsh was glad he determined to make the journey.

“I might have been simply sitting in my crib doing nothing,” Walsh stated with a smile. “It is a method higher various.”