Boston Celtics: Cs can do more than just “survive” without Kemba Walker

The Boston Celtics proved in their win over the Milwaukee Bucks that they have the depth to do more than “survive” as Kemba Walker recovers.

When news hit about just how bad Kemba Walker‘s knee issues were, Boston Celtics fans were understandably concerned.

The point guard proved to be of great value to the C’s roster during his first season in town, as his veteran presence helped buoy a relatively young core through tough stretches all while playing hurt.

But at the beginning of December, Boston revealed their starting floor general would be out for a considerable amount of time after receiving a stem-cell injection in his left knee.

Walker’s knee problems flared up multiple times throughout the 2019-20 campaign, as the 4x All-Star played in just 56 out of Boston’s 72 regular-season games, and it clearly hampered him in the playoffs. Even still, he proved to be a reliable asset, averaging 20.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds while connecting on 38.1 percent of his threes.

The vet was already expected to miss the first few weeks of the season, but Celtics head coach Brad Stevens offered up a discouraging update just a day before the C’s season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.

According to Stevens, Walker is still “a long way away” from getting on the court, and there won’t be any more updates on his status till the first week of January.

With a very difficult opening first few weeks of games to start the season, Boston Celtics fans were pessimistic about their team’s chances of starting strong without Walker running the offense.

Even with players like Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown taking steps forward last season, a brutal December and January could severally set the shamrocks back.

But the franchise prepared for Walker’s absence and it only took one game for that move to pay off.

On November 30th, Boston announced the signings of a pair of veterans in point guard Jeff Teague and forward Tristan Thompson. The former was brought in to bolster the team’s depth in the backcourt and provide another veteran presence to a young Boston backcourt.

If Wednesday night’s thrilling win over Milwaukee is any indication, then Boston can do more than just “survive” without Kemba Walker on the court for the foreseeable future, and that’s thanks in large to the contributions of Teague.

The 12-year journeyman was an X-factor off the bench for Boston in their 122-121 victory over the Bucks, scoring 19 points while dishing out four assists and never once turning the ball over.

He also managed to accumulate three rebounds, two steals, and a block in his 25 minutes of action, finishing with a plus-eight on the night.

Teague looked calm, cool, and collected while on the floor, and he helped orchestrate a strong offensive showing for Boston.

He was a perfect 4-of-4 from three, attempted the third-most field goals on the team, and was an ideal veteran complement to Smart at the one.

Speaking of Smart, he was also effective at distributing the ball despite not getting many shots off. The lifeblood of Boston basketball only scored three points, with all three coming from the free-throw line, but tossed out seven assists and blocked a couple of shots in 38 minutes.

That efficient play at the point guard position from both Teague and Smart was a big reason the Boston Celtics finished with just six turnovers on the night. When Milwaukee’s offense exploded in the fourth quarter, that steady hand at point guard proved invaluable.

Boston still eagerly awaits the return of Walker back into the lineup, but Wednesday night should go a long way in assuaging the fears of Celtics fans about how they will manage without the 30-year-old point guard.

If Teague and Smart can keep it up, the team could be better than expected as Walker recovers, which should only make Boston that much more of a handful come March.