Kemba Walker had been held scoreless in two of his first 733 regular-season video games over 10-plus seasons within the NBA, however the four-time All-Star all of the sudden has matched that complete with zero factors in every of the Knicks’ previous two contests.
With the commerce deadline looming Feb. 10, the Bronx native’s ballyhooed homecoming clearly has derailed once more.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned he’s “probably not” involved in regards to the 31-year-old Walker’s latest stoop, however the workforce’s place to begin guard has logged simply 34 complete minutes over the previous two video games towards the Kings and the Grizzlies (17 in every). He has missed all six of his field-goal tries and not using a free-throw try in both sport.
“To me, Kemba, he’s a confirmed scorer on this league,’’ Thibodeau mentioned after Wednesday’s dwelling loss to the Grizzlies. “Gamers are going to undergo various things. And when he’s open, I wish to see him shoot, each single time. I simply know he can miss 10 in a row and I consider he’s gonna make 10 in a row. That’s simply the way in which the sport is.
“Should you’re not taking pictures nicely, discover one thing else, discover a completely different factor that you may assist us with. And normally he does … So simply let him navigate via it, and he’ll get going once more.”
Walker’s present stoop is the most recent downturn in a homecoming that he described as “good timing” — and mentioned he was “actually motivated and tremendous enthusiastic about” — upon signing a two-year contract price $18 million with the Knicks in August.
The previous UConn star was benched and brought out of Thibodeau’s rotation totally for 9 video games starting in late November. He initially performed nicely upon returning to the lineup in late December — together with a 44-point efficiency in a single sport and a triple-double on Christmas in one other — earlier than lacking a further 9 video games in January attributable to recurring knee soreness.
Since notching 19 factors in his first sport again within the lineup on Jan. 18, nevertheless, Walker has scored in single digits in every of his final six appearances (4.7 ppg), together with his two zeroes on the stat sheet this week. He additionally has missed 17 of 19 makes an attempt from 3-point vary (10.5 p.c) over that span.
Of the earlier two scoreless outings in Walker’s profession, one was a sport with the Celtics in November 2019 by which he was stretchered off the ground after struggling a head harm in a first-half collision with Boston teammate Semi Ojeleye. The opposite got here throughout his second NBA season with the Hornets in 2012, by which he completed 0-for-6 from the sphere in 20 minutes towards the Thunder.
General, the Knicks have dropped six of seven video games since Walker was reinserted into the beginning lineup to fall to twelfth within the Japanese Convention at 24-28 coming into a frightening five-game western swing that begins Saturday towards the Lakers. The journey continues with street video games towards the Jazz, Warriors, Nuggets and Path Blazers, all groups presently in playoff or play-in positions within the West.
“I’m not anxious about down the street. I’m simply enthusiastic about the following sport,” Thibodeau mentioned. “The season’s shifting alongside fairly shortly proper now, and there needs to be an urgency to this. Don’t look too far forward, simply have a look at the following sport and prepare for the following sport, that’s it.”
The Knicks’ roster might look markedly completely different when the workforce returns from the five-game trek, with lower than per week remaining for workforce president Leon Rose to make strikes earlier than the commerce deadline.
Dealing Walker or different gamers might release taking part in time for just lately acquired Cam Reddish, who has totaled simply 20 minutes for the reason that Knicks despatched a protected first-round decide and Kevin Knox to the Hawks for him on Jan. 13.
Veteran level guard Derrick Rose is also aiming to return quickly after the All-Star break (Feb. 18-20) after rehabbing from December ankle surgical procedure.
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