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Celtics: The Kemba Walker we need vs the Kemba Walker we want

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

Apr 13, 2021; Portland, Oregon, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker (8) goes to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers small forward Norman Powell (24) during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2021; Portland, Oregon, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker (8) goes to the basket past Portland Trail Blazers small forward Norman Powell (24) during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Don’t look now Boston Celtics fans, but the team is 8-1 in the last nine games Kemba Walker has played.  The problem is, he is still not playing in tail end of back-to-back games which won’t be a problem come playoff time.

That is where the Kemba we want needs to really shine.  If the last nine games are any indication, it appears he is back to that All-Star level of play or at least close to it.

In those nine games, he is averaging 17.7 PPG with 46.0 FG percentage, including a 32-point performance against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday that not only tied his season-high point total but presented fans with the Kemba Walker we want.

The man simply did it all that game, he scored like the All-Star Kemba and played a big role in slowing down the Suns All-Star duo of Chris Paul and Devin Booker.

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Adding this version of Walker to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown when they are at their best is a dangerous combination.  That is why fans have been do down on Kemba all season long.  He is a max contract player who seems to have broken down since signing with the Celtics.

Not all Kemba’s fault, but he is in a situation where the team has underperformed most of the season and he has only been on the court about half the time.  While the time on the court is disappointing, he wasn’t really brought to Boston to be the man.  That is part why fans believed the signing would be extra special.

Finally, Kemba Walker wouldn’t have all the weight on his shoulder.  Finally, he has other players to take the load off.  So, he should score 25-30 points every game, right?

Well, that is the Kemba Walker we want, but not a realistic want with the team having three other scorers on the team, and yes, I’m counting Evan Fournier.  So, what do the Celtics really need when it comes to the veteran guard?

The Kemba Walker the Boston Celtics need

The answer is everything he has showed the last 9 games.

The Boston Celtics need Kemba Walker to be a veteran leader who can take over and score over 30 points any given game.  They need that crunch time, ice in his veins lethal scorer we have seen during his days at UConn and a glimpse of in the team’s 2020 NBA playoff run.

The Celtics need the Kemba who dishes out over 6.0 assists per game, a player who creates shots for others and puts a dagger in the opponent’s heart when teams focus on Tatum and Brown when he is on the court.

The Celtics need the toughness of Walker, the alpha-dog personality that can lift the team up when they are down. They simply need an assassin who will take the pressure off the All-Star duo.

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Most importantly, the Boston Celtics need a healthy Kemba Walker.  They need a player who will be there and be available every game in the playoffs.  Within his competitive nature he will be there, but will the knee hold up is the big question.

In conclusion, the occasional 30-point explosive is nice, but the player who can score when the team really needs it, play tough defense and facilitate on the offensive end will help the Celtics go far…very far.

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