As Walker goes, so do the Celtics
was rusty and wasn’t close to resembling his old sharp self, the player that has been a four-time NBA All-star.
Still, he certainly didn’t seem to be getting the benefit of the doubt from Celtics fans and radio talking heads, who were seemingly crushing the 30-year-old guard at every turn.
Patience has never been a strength when it comes to folks who follow Boston sports.
In his first 10 games back from injury, Walker averaged just 15 points on 34.2% shooting from the floor and 30.6% from 3-point land. The Celtics went 3-7 over that stretch and slipped considerably in the top-heavy Eastern Conference standings.
Then, things changed.
The always-smiling 6-foot guard rediscovered his comfort and found his groove. As Walker played better, so did the Celtics.
Over his last 10 games, Walker is averaging 21.9 points on 43% from the floor and 41.6% from deep, and he’s dished out 4.8 assists per game and been an average of +5.3 while on the court. Those numbers are right on par with his past five seasons.
Most importantly, the C’s are 7-3 over Walker’s last 10 appearances and enter the
All-star break on a four-game win streak and back in the No. 4 spot in the East’s playoff picture with a record of 19-17.
For now, the Walker critics have been strongly silenced.
All of a sudden, his stats for the season are looking pretty solid at 18.5 ppg and 4.6 apg in 30 minutes per game. He’s now the third option for a Celts’ squad with two young supremely talented all-star wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and his production is plenty good enough for a No. 3 option.
We’ve all been reminded just how valuable Walker is to the Celtics. They need him,