BOSTON — It took the New York Knicks being without nine players for head coach Tom Thibodeau to end Kemba Walker’s removal from the team’s rotation after nine games.
Walker had an electrifying return to the court, finishing with 29 points in 37 minutes against the Celtics, but he ultimately fouled out with just over two minutes to go, and the Knicks went on to lose 114-107 to their Atlantic Division rivals on Saturday.
Afterward, Walker was asked whether he wants to remain with the Knicks. He said he only has one goal: to be on the court.
“I want to play,” Walker said. “I don’t know. So it is what it is.”
He added: “I don’t know what the future holds, you know? I do feel like I have a lot to give still. I don’t know. That’s up to these guys.”
Interestingly for Walker, Saturday night turned into somewhat of a revenge game for him against both teams: against the Celtics for trading him away this summer — the night marked Walker’s first game in Boston since the trade — and against the Knicks, and specifically Thibodeau, for removing him from the team’s rotation three weeks ago.
Walker, who hadn’t played since a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 26, nearly stole the show with a banner performance. He particularly shined in the third quarter, when he poured in 17 of his 29 points to put New York in front for the first time after an ugly first half.
It was a reminder of what the Knicks hoped they were getting from Walker after signing him this offseason, and also of what he provided during his eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and through much of his first season with Boston (15-15).
Walker said it felt good to make a statement on the court after spending so much time on the bench.
“I know I should be playing, so no question. It feels great,” he said. “But whatever situation I’m in, I’m gonna stay locked in, stay prepared. Whatever the team needs from me, I’ll be there for them.”
The shot that put the Knicks in front for the first time Saturday night midway through the quarter was a quintessential Walker play: bringing the ball up on the break and stepping into a pull-up 3-pointer that hit nothing but net. And, after doing so, Walker and the New York bench erupted into a huge celebration as Celtics coach Ime Udoka called timeout.
And while he said it felt great to be back in Boston, where he received a big ovation from the TD Garden crowd before the game, his night came to an untimely end when he fouled out late after Evan Fournier stayed down after a drive at the other end of the court.
“Was I confused? No,” Walker said of the lack of communication with Thibodeau. “I’m not starting, I ain’t playing. So it is what it is.
“I’m here for my team, I’m here for my teammates. I can’t say it enough. Whatever’s asked of me that’s what I’m here for.”
Courtesy: ESPN
