Jordan Walsh to join Maine Celtics for playoff debut

The Maine Celtics playoffs begin on Tuesday night against the Capital City Go-Go, and the Celtics’ G League affiliate will be bolstered by the addition of Jordan Walsh, who will be joining his former Maine teammates.

Walsh has only played one G League game this season — in December, when he requested to spend the Celtics’ day off with the Maine Celtics. He was highly effective in that contest, recording 20 points (8-12 FG), 5 rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.

“I would have been just sitting in my crib doing nothing,” Walsh said then. “This is a way better alternative.”

Walsh has played sparingly with the Celtics this season, averaging 7.8 minutes in 46 games. He’s averaged 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds a night, shooting 37.1% from the field and 28.3% from beyond the arc. He saw more extensive on-court opportunities earlier in the season, with Sam Hauser and Jaylen Brown battling various, but hasn’t played much in March, playing a total of just 9 minutes on the Celtics’ recent six-game road trip.

The Maine Celtics face the Capital City Go-Go on Monday night

The Maine Celtics have been led by JD Davison this season, who is in the running for G League MVP after averaging 25.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds this season. He’s shot 48.1% from the field and a career-best 33.3% from three.

Two-way players Drew Peterson and Miles Norris have also been integral to Maine. Peterson has averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game this season, while Norris has averaged 14.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 8 games with Maine since signing a two-way with the Celtics last month.

Davison, Walsh, and Peterson all led the Maine Celtics in their playoff run last year, in which they made a run at the Finals but fell to the Oklahoma City Blue in the three games. The Maine Celtics have never won a G League championship — and are prioritizing getting it done this season.

“They really want to win,” Tyler Lashbrook, Maine’s head coach, told CelticsBlog last month. “And I think that makes us special.”

Other returners on the squad include center James Banks III and Jordan Shakel. Banks III has been particularly instrumental for the Celtics this season. Since returning to Maine midseason, he’s started in all of his 21 games, averaging 5.4 points and 6.2 assists.

The opening game of the playoffs between the Celtics and the Go-Go will tip off at 8pm ET on ESPNU at the Portland Expo. If the Celtics win, they’ll advance to face the Westchester Knicks in the next round of the playoffs.