The Celtics picked up right where they left off at the end of last season: winning basketball games by a lot of points.
We saw what we needed from the starters. Jayson Tatum didn’t forget how to shoot, and Jaylen Brown continued on his warpath. My broader takeaway from the two preseason games against the Denver Nuggets is that the Mazzulla Ball Machine continues to roll regardless of who is on the court.
Considering that, here are the updated end of the rotation power rankings, or as they are widely known, the Oshae Brissett Memorial Power Rankings. I am also handing out grades based on the first two preseason games because grades are fun when they don’t involve me sweating out whether or not I will pass 10th grade geometry.
Please note that the grades are relative to expectations, not in a vacuum. For example, Jaden Springer is coming into his fourth season. We need to hold him to a higher standard than Jordan Walsh. Baylor Scheierman is getting over some rookie jitters. JD Davison has been through this before.
Jordan Walsh – B+
We saw more encouraging signs from Jordan Walsh in his second preseason game. The role of the 10th man on this Celtics team is clear: play sound defense without fouling, be in the right spots, fight for defensive rebounds and battle when you find yourself caught in a mismatch. On the offensive end, shoot when you’re open, fight for good spacing and make quick decisions. Walsh ticks all of these boxes through two preseason games.
We want more of Walsh’s three-point attempts to fall. I believe that he’s a capable shooter. Walsh shot 36.1% from three on 5.7 attempts per game in the G League last year. What I continue to notice and enjoy is Walsh’s activity on offense. Walsh isn’t just sprinting to the corner and letting the action unfold around him.
In this play, Payton Pritchard and Xavier Tillman do an excellent job of getting the Nuggets in rotation and creating an advantage for the opposing side of the court. Instead of just waiting for the swing pass from Tillman, Walsh recognizes Hunter Tyson isn’t able to make it out to Sam Hauser if he sets a down screen. Tyson doesn’t try to get out to Hauser, but it’s just a simple play that has a positive impact on the offense.
Walsh didn’t do anything incredible in the second preseason game but he’s starting to make me believe he is capable of playing 10-15 minutes a night without too many issues.
Jaden Springer – C-
This was a better game from Springer. I thought the defense flashed in the second preseason game. Picking guys up full court combined with great screen navigation is the type of stuff Springer is known for and that’s what we saw in the second preseason game against the Nuggets. Springer’s defense can’t be inconsistent. When Springer is on the court, I want to feel his energy. Six-foot-four guards who aren’t explosive athletes with limited offensive games are not a valued player archetype in the NBA. If Springer is going to be impactful, he needs to do it on the defensive end. It was good to see Springer hit a three-pointer, however, I still don’t trust the shot. Springer is a 27.4% three-point shooter across his G League and NBA career.
Baylor Scheierman – D+
If I was breaking these rankings into tiers, there would be a clear tier break after Springer. Baylor Scheierman at least got the memo to let it fly. Baylor got up five three-pointers in twelve minutes in his second preseason game. I’m not worried about Baylor’s three-point shot long-term, but he has not been accurate to start his Celtics career. Going 1-7 from three over his first two preseason games, but I’m sure Joe Mazzulla is happy that he missed almost all of them. One thing that appears to be carrying over from Baylor’s profile as a prospect is his rebounding. Baylor pulled down three rebounds in his twelve minutes of action. I’m a fan of Baylor’s focus on the defensive glass followed by an aggressive push in transition.
Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images
Drew Peterson – B
Drew Peterson has found his way onto the Oshae Brissett Memorial Power Rankings. I can only imagine how much this means to him. I’m not sure if Drew Peterson is an NBA player, but I like his game. He fits the Mazzulla Ball description — shooting with size, plus the ability to put the ball on the floor. Drew is a capable shooter, ball handler and passer at the G League level. Is he a shooter, ball handler, and passer at the NBA level? Probably not, but I see the vision.
Lonnie Walker IV – D
Lonnie Walker finding his way into the Celtics rotation feels like a long shot at this point. It’s unsurprising that both Walker and Scheierman are the two guys that look the least comfortable considering how much time they have spent in the Celtic’s system. However, Lonnie is in a tough spot. On one hand, you can understand Lonnie wanting to stand out to make the decision to keep him on the roster tough on Brad Stevens; on the other hand, forcing out of rhythm pull-up midrange jumpers is not the way to endear yourself to head coach Mazzulla.
