LAS VEGAS — Boston Celtics wing Jordan Walsh was ejected in the second quarter of the team’s Summer League game against the Miami Heat on Monday night. Walsh was guarding Heat wing Pelle Larsson in transition and shoved him into the stands as a foul was called. Larsson took exception to the play, and the two players shoved one another again, earning double technical fouls.
Walsh had already picked up a technical foul earlier in the quarter, meaning this was his second, leading to an automatic ejection. The first technical foul was after Walsh got into a scuffle with Erik Stevenson, a 6-foot-4 guard playing Summer League with Miami.
The incident took place in front of multiple members of the Celtics front office, all of whom were sitting courtside for the contest. Brad Stevens, Dave Lewin, Mike Zarren, and Allison Feaster were all in the front row, joined by new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm and part-owner Steve Pagliuca.
Jordan Walsh got thrown out in front of Brad Stevens in Celtics-Heat Summer League
Prior to his ejection, Walsh had tallied 13 points, three rebounds, and one steal on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 shooting from behind the three-point arc.
The soon-to-be third-year Celtic was putting together a solid performance after a slow day on Sunday against the New York Knicks.
Instead, his game was cut short early, as Walsh exited the court and went back to the locker room with members of the Celtics coaching staff, who walked with him off the court.
Walsh has shown some serious growth during this year’s Summer League after a disastrous stint in Las Vegas last year. He’s been doing things much differently this time around.
Last summer, Walsh was trying to play as the star of the show. He was trying to create for himself, and as a result, he put himself in positions he will likely never see in Boston. This summer has been different.
Rather than putting pressure on himself to create and be a star with the Summer League Celtics, Walsh has been staying in his lane, taking the opportunities that have come his way.
When that means moving off the ball and hunting three-point shots, he does it. When that means screening away from the play to make space for others, he does it. When that means putting the ball on the floor and making something happen, he does it.
Unfortunately, his overeagerness shone through on Monday, and he didn’t get the chance to help the Celtics finish their game against the Heat. The fire was there, and that’s a positive, but earning a second tech in a matter of minutes (and in front of the team’s front office, too) is certainly not ideal.