Coronavirus has put the NBA on hold which has suddenly given Kemba Walker, the Boston Celtics star point guard, time to heal his ailing knee.
March 11th, 2020, will go down as the craziest day in NBA history for the league and the Boston Celtics. Minutes after news broke that Rudy Gobert had tested positive for the coronavirus, the NBA announced it would suspend its season. For at least 30 days, the NBA will be put on hold as the world attempts too slow this pandemic.
The future of this NBA season is in a state of flux. The NBA is still evaluating its options and anything under the sun could be on the table. This pandemic is only starting to show its effects in the United States, meaning the NBA is likely unable to commit to any type of resolution until the virus slows.
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With all that being said, the Boston Celtics should be in a position to compete deep into the playoffs once the NBA season resumes. However, the Celtics will need Kemba Walker to be his best self in order to contend for an NBA finals appearance.
Kemba Walker has been nursing a knee injury for an unidentifiable amount of time. His knee first started popping up on the injury report and causing him to miss games in early February, where he missed three consecutive games. Walker then returned, and played well, before the Celtics headed into the All-Star game.
After starting and playing 29 minutes in the All-Star game, Walker’s knee swelled up which caused him to miss five games following the break. Walker has since returned from injury but has yet to look like his normal self.
In his four games played since the All-Star break, Walker is averaging 14.8 points per game, shooting just 30.5 percent from the field. Maybe it’s just rust, but his lack of production does call for some concern. It’s hard to imagine his knee is fully healthy, but rather, that’d he been managing it.
This knee was likely going to cause Kemba Walker problems going forward. If he continued playing on it, managing the pain or swelling, he was never going to be 100 percent going into the playoffs. However, the Boston Celtics were in the midst of fighting for the number two seed in the east, which was probably going to keep Walker on the court. It was also important for Walker and the rest of the starters to continue developing chemistry going into the playoffs.
All of a sudden, Walker has at least 30 days to rehab his ailing knee. This time could end up being crucial for Walker’s ability to get healthy before this season’s playoffs. Hopefully when the NBA season returns, Walker’s knee will be 100 percent and his production will return to his All-Star level, as the Celtics will need it.
Behind Kemba Walker the Boston Celtics are thin at the point guard position. They have plenty of offensive firepower in the starting lineup, but the lack of offense off the bench makes it vital for Walker to be 100 percent. Getting Walker fully healthy is crucial for the Celtics and this sudden stoppage may just help him get the time he needs to heal his knee.