Boston Celtics: 3 players that must step up in Jaylen Brown’s absence

Boston Celtics player No. 3) Kemba Walker

Already viewed as the ultimate X-factor for the Boston Celtics, the injury to Jaylen Brown makes it all the more important that Kemba Walker taps into his healthy self come playoff time.

This season has been quite an underwhelming year for the former All-Star, as he’s been marred by injuries and inconsistency since making his 2020-21 debut back in mid-January.

That said, even still, the point guard has managed to show glimpses of his pre-injury self that Cs fans grew to love and, at least on paper, is still showing signs of productivity.

Through 42 games played, Walker is posting averages of 18.9 points, five assists, and 3.9 rebounds on 36 percent shooting from deep.

Truth be told, if the 30-year-old can’t somehow manage to find his stride come playoff time, it likely could lead to the end of his tenure with the Boston Celtics, and there are a few teams that we believe could be interested in his services.

That said, should he tap into “Vintage Kemba”, the C’s big free agency signing circa 2019, he would yet again make an ideal sidekick to have running alongside Tatum during the postseason.

Frankly, no matter which way you look at it, now that Brown’s gone, Walker must step up if the Cs wish to have a real chance of even making it out of the play-in tournament.