Saturday, Feb. 1 - 76ers at Celtics
Pregame – Walker Gives Update on Knee
BOSTON – Kemba Walker’s left knee has flared up for the second time in the last two weeks, which will force him to sit out for at least the next two games. Fortunately, though, the Celtics point guard is not overly concerned about the long-term implications of the nagging soreness, as he explained ahead of Saturday night’s tip-off against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“It’s okay,” Walker, dressed in street clothes, insisted from inside the Celtics locker room at TD Garden. “I’m a little sore. I was a little sore last game, just thought it made the most sense to kind of take tonight off and just see how it goes day by day.”
Walker confirmed that he had his knee examined a few weeks ago and noted that all of his tests came back “clean.” There wasn’t a specific play or moment that triggered the pain; he simply attributes the recurring discomfort to the typical wear and tear of the rigorous campaign.
“I’ve played a lot of basketball from summertime to now,” Walker said, referring to his time spent with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup this past summer. “Just a lot of games. I mean, it’s just what happens throughout the course of an NBA season.”
Walker, who played every game last season and had only missed six contests in his last four years with the Charlotte Hornets, admits that he hates sitting out. Though, he’s willing to do so, as he understands the big picture that remains at stake.
“It’s tough,” the ironman veteran stated. “I’m a competitor. I love to play, especially against teams like Philly who are a great team. So it’s definitely a tough decision for me to sit this one out. But at the end of the day, I just have to look at the long haul. We’re looking to get to the Playoffs and make a run, so I’ve got to look at it that way.”
For now, Walker will just have to remain vigilant and continue to manage the knee cautiously.
“Just got to take care of myself, which I’ve been doing to the best of my ability,” he said. “I’ve just got to continue to do that. And that’s really it.”
- Taylor Snow