Celtics' playoff newbies make their moment count in Game 1 win over 76ers

Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and Baylor Scheierman all saw their first meaningful playoff action in Boston's 123-91 victory.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 3:52am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Celtics basketball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of green, white, and gold representing the dynamic action on the court.The Celtics' young role players made their mark in Game 1, providing energy and production to complement the team's veteran stars.Boston Today

In the Celtics' 32-point win over the 76ers in Game 1 of the playoffs, several Celtics players were making their postseason debuts, including Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and Baylor Scheierman. Though they didn't put up huge numbers, the young players made their presence felt and played important roles in the victory.

Why it matters

The Celtics are looking to make another deep playoff run, and getting contributions from their younger, less experienced players will be crucial to their success. This game showed that those players are ready for the playoff spotlight and can provide valuable minutes when called upon.

The details

In the first quarter, rookie Jordan Walsh sprinted down the court for a transition layup to beat the buzzer, extending the Celtics' lead to 15 points. Queta, Garza, Walsh, and Scheierman combined for 30 points in the game, nearly matching their total playoff points from the previous two seasons. Each player made an impact in their own way, with Queta going 5-for-5 from the field, Walsh playing tough defense on Tyrese Maxey, and Garza and Scheierman making key plays to start the second quarter.

  • The first quarter clock was winding down when Jordan Walsh scored his first career playoff basket.
  • Queta, Garza, Walsh, and Scheierman had combined for 31 playoff points before Game 1.

The players

Jordan Walsh

A 22-year-old Celtics rookie who scored 5 points in his first meaningful playoff action.

Neemias Queta

A Celtics center who made all 5 of his field goal attempts and finished with 13 points in his first career playoff start.

Luka Garza

A Celtics forward who scored 7 points and made key plays to start the second quarter in his playoff debut.

Baylor Scheierman

A Celtics guard who scored 5 points and recorded a key block in his first career playoff game.

Sam Hauser

A Celtics forward who started his first-ever NBA playoff game and recorded a playoff-career-high 7 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“I know the coaches have been talking to them. Just saying, like, 'Be ready. Might be five minutes, could be 20. Just never really know. But, [you] just got to make your minutes count.'”

— Sam Hauser, Celtics forward

“There's definitely some anxiety, to just kind of get stuff going. You're just anxious; you want to get out there and get the ball tipped off.”

— Sam Hauser, Celtics forward

“I mean, you have to offensive rebound in the regular season, you have to sprint to get a transition layup, you have to defend without fouling, and you have to know your personnel. You have to do all the things that you can control. And it's a credit to those guys being ready to do that.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Celtics head coach

“Just breathe. Manage your emotions. They might go on a run. They might not go on a run, but just stay together. Win the fight. Be the harder-playing team and guard. Don't save yourself for offense. Offense is going to be fine if we defend.”

— Jaylen Brown

What’s next

The Celtics and 76ers will play Game 2 on Wednesday, April 22 in Boston.

The takeaway

The Celtics' young players stepped up in a big way in Game 1, showing they are ready for the playoff spotlight. Their contributions, along with the continued excellence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, will be crucial as the Celtics look to make another deep playoff run.