We’re halfway through the second and final preseason game at TD Garden and the Boston Celtics are dismantling the Toronto Raptors 69-37 at the break.
Get ready for some halftime hot takes, buddy.
Is Jordan Walsh ready for some regular-season rotation minutes?
After a strong showing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Jordan Walsh is looking comfortable once again. So far against the Raptors, he’s tallied 12 points and six rebounds on 5-7 shooting.
He even had a “LOUD” and-one dunk over Gradey Dick early in this one.
The second-year wing was one of the most exciting stories heading into Boston’s Summer League campaign back in July. Unfortunately, he struggled throughout the team’s time in Las Vegas, causing many to question if he’d have to spend more time in Maine before he was ready to take on some added responsibility in Boston’s rotation.
Walshy has shown confidence, poise, and versatility through three-and-a-half preseason games. His game is beginning to resemble that of an energy defender who can bury an occasional three, and at this point, that would be just fine.
Nobody loves extra opportunity quite like Payton Pritchard
I mean, it’s like clockwork at this point. Payton Pritchard is going to give buckets to whoever is standing in his way. He’s going to give them even more buckets when the Celtics sit all of their starters.
The first 24 minutes of this one are a prime example of Fast PP’s bucket-getting ability. He hung 19 on the Raps and it looked effortless.
Pritchard’s offensive explosion shouldn’t come as a surprise. It seems any chance he’s given to go out and score at will, he’s going to do it (except for the final minutes of Celtics vs. Kings back in April). There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding him and potentially getting his name into the NBA Sixth Man of the Year race.
That buzz is certainly justified.
The Celtics are REALLY good or the Raptors are REALLY bad (or both)
Prior to tonight’s exhibition matchup, Head Coach Joe Mazzulla revealed that none of Boston’s starters (Luke Kornet included) would be playing.
Now, when that news dropped, I don’t think anyone figured that they’d find themselves up by as many as 35 points before the halftime break.
Especially considering that three of the Raptors’ projected regular-season starters suited up.
Is Boston’s bench really THIS good?
Maybe.
They might even be a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.
Pritchard and Sam Hauser are legitimate offensive threats in any NBA game, never mind in the preseason when they have the ultimate green light. Not to mention that Lonnie Walker IV is out there playing for his NBA life and putting up numbers in the process.
At the end of the day, tonight’s game will count for nothing. But if Boston’s rotation players are able to carry this momentum into the regular season, then the league is in trouble.
