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Tim BontempsESPN
BOSTON: Celtic All Star punter Kemba Walker has been allowed to practice, the team announced Friday, and coach Brad Stevens said Walker’s annoying left knee has been pain-free for “more than a month. “.
Walker’s left knee has been a permanent problem for Boston, which dates back a calendar year until January 2020. During the weeks leading up to last year’s All-Star Game, he was dealing with knee discomfort. Then, after playing many minutes in the half-season showcase in Chicago, he fought before the league shutdown in March due to COVID-19.
Then, when teams resumed practice in late June, Walker said he felt more discomfort in his knee, which caused the Celtics to have him in a strict minute limit during the team’s squad games at the NBA bubble at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
After a postseason up and down, with Walker initially looking fantastic against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round before having more fights against the Toronto Raptors and then against the Miami Heat, he and the team agreed that the march to 12- weekly strengthening program to try to improve the long-term condition of this left knee in early October, as well as give him a knee injection.
Last month, the team said there will be an update on Walker’s status during the first week of January. Now that there is one, the question will now be when Walker is ready to debut in the season.
Stevens said he gave credit to Walker for his willingness to take the time to make the right knee, rather than avoid it and play a level below what he is capable of doing. Walker has earned the reputation of someone willing to play through injuries, rarely sitting during his first eight years in the league with the Charlotte Hornets.
“I credit Kemba for saying, ‘I have to reinforce this thing and I have to make sure he’s ready to spend a season and then, if we’re lucky, a postseason,'” Stevens said. [strength coach Jace Delaney] I’ve done a good job preparing an attack plan, along with Phil Coles, and then I hope he comes back soon.
“But we won’t rush it. We’ll see how the practice goes and all that stuff.”
Meanwhile, Boston will have to deal with a significantly exhausted rotation of the front track after center Robert Williams III tested positive for COVID-19, and senior teammates Grant Williams and Tristan Thompson were ruled out due to contact tracking according to the league safety and health protocols. .
That leaves Boston with only two great men available on its roster: incumbent Daniel Theis and Tacko Fall, who has a two-way contract.
“Well, obviously we’re going to limit ourselves to how many guys can play on this site. We’ll basically have two greats on our list for the next two games,” Stevens said. “It’s what it is. I think the biggest concern for me is that when we sometimes play small, it’s very small. And that’s the challenge, right? We have to make sure we combine and combine as well as we do. to keep the maximum depth of the wings on the ground, at least a couple of the wings on the ground, whenever we can. “
However, Boston will once again have veteran goalie Jeff Teague, after missing the last two games with a sprained ankle, as well as guard Javonte Green, who missed the trip to four games in Boston for being included in those games. health and safety protocols. .
Stevens said that while obviously the depth of the team is having a hit because of the protocols right now, he is confident in what the league does and how it treats the virus.
“The NBA goes through an incredibly detailed program whenever there are doubts,” Stevens said. “They basically relived the last few days, your time all together. And I know they do it with all the teams. It’s a long and arduous task for our people who take care of all our protocols, who follow all the protocols. and for everyone.the people in the league.These people spend a lot of time and effort and they are the experts.I listen to them and they tell me what we can do and what not.
Scott Brooks, who echoed Stevens ’belief in the league to handle things the right way, added that Russell Westbrook, who moved a finger to his right hand down Washington Wednesday in Philadelphia, it’s “good to go” against the Celtics.