Kemba Walker Doesn't Miss Beat In Return For Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) -- Kemba Walker was looking like his old self before an oblique injury sidelined him for four games. He was back in the Celtics lineup Wednesday night in Orlando, and once again looked like the Kemba Walker of old.
The 30-year-old point guard had plenty of bounce right from the jump, scoring 12 of his game-high 32 points in the first quarter. Those 32 points tied his season-high, with Walker hitting 11 of his 18 shots, including 6-for-9 shooting from downtown.
Walker, who hadn't played since April 25, said that extra rest had him feeling rather spry Wednesday night.
"I haven't been playing so I was able to get some rest. I was a little fresh," he said. "Definitely felt good. I'll definitely take it for sure."
When he's been on the floor, Walker has been on a tear as of late. Boston's highest-paid player is averaging 23.8 points on 51 percent shooting over his last six games. He's scored 32 points twice in that span, and failed to reach 20 points in just one of those six contests.
This is the stride that the Celtics were hoping Walker would get on late in the season, and one that will hopefully help the team get out of the play-in tournament ahead of the postseason. Walker still won't play in back-to-backs, meaning he'll miss two of Boston's final six games. But he should be on the floor for both of Boston's key matchups with the Miami Heat, the team that is nipping at their heels for the six-seed in the Eastern Conference.
