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Tim BontempsESPN
BOSTON – The Celtics – already mired in a three-game losing streak, and having lost eight of their last 11 games – found themselves defeated by 18-4 five minutes after Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers. It was the kind of performance that, if fans were allowed to enter TD Garden, would have received a round of boos.
But instead of resigning himself and his team to another ugly defeat in a stretch full of them, Kemba Walker put the Celtics on his back. And on a night when the team’s young All-Stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, were not effective, it was Walker who scored 32 points and made six assists to take Boston to a desperately needed 118-112 victory over the Pacers.
“I don’t think we will win the game without his will,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “I think it doesn’t matter how everyone is playing, when that thing was 18-4, he was the loudest voice. He made us go back to that thing. And now, we’re back on our feet, [and] we have a little bit of confidence, which was shot this week.
“But this is what the really good players do. This is what the veterans do. This is what the guys who were there, did this and did this for a long time. So I really thought he led us tonight.”
It has been as difficult a season for Walker individually as it has been for the Celtics as a team. Leaving a 12-week off-season strengthening program for his troubled left knee that made him miss the first few weeks of this season, Walker entered Friday night with 37.5% field shots – the second worst percentage of your career.
Tonight, however, Walker looked exactly like the All-Star he was last season, before knee problems started. After Boston fell on that 18-4 hole, Walker scored or helped 13 of the team’s 15 points in a 15-2 run that helped the Celtics take the lead after the first quarter.
“I try to bring that aspect into the game every night, my lead,” said Walker. “I try to use my voice as much as possible to keep my teammates awake when things are not going well.
“I know the guys look at me in situations like this, and you know, just try to stay positive, just try to stay positive and just bring that energy to the team.”
With Tatum (4 out of 18 shots, 9 points) and Brown (5 out of 12, 15 points) unable to do that, it was a combination of the two things that received the most scrutiny in Boston’s fights – Walker and the supporting cast – that allowed for to the Celtics to obtain this victory.
Jeff Teague, the veteran point guard who has fought hard all season and received several DNPs recently, had his best game since scoring 19 points at the season opener, scoring 14 in 19 minutes. Newcomer Payton Pritchard, who had his own fights recently, scored nine points in 19 minutes, while big young Robert Williams III scored 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists in 22 minutes.
“It has been a different experience than the one I have been part of, but it is always a learning experience,” said Teague. “Just take the good with the bad and keep going. Tonight was a big win for our team; we played well. I’m happy to see a lot of guys playing well. We finally helped JT, Kemba and Jaylen tonight. It was good for us . “
More than anything, it was important for the Celtics to win after the last ugly days that saw them lose in extra time in New Orleans on Sunday after blowing up a 24 point lead, Luka crashing in the last second of 3 points Doncic on Tuesday in Dallas, and then wiped out in Atlanta without Walker (knee control) on Wednesday.
After Friday’s victory, everyone said how important it was to get the collective taste out of their mouths with a victory, and Walker specifically said that it was up to the team leaders to ensure that the Celtics stayed together during their fights.
“Let’s find out,” said Walker. “This is on me. This is Jaylen. This is for Jayson. This is for Marcus [Smart]. And then Tristan [Thompson] and Jeff will also add. This is the veterans’ fault, as well as Brad’s too. We have to stay together. We cannot let anyone go in the other direction. Even though things may not be going as well as we would like at the moment, things can change very quickly, so the only way to escape the struggles is to do it together. “