Boston Celtics head coach isn’t just taking the cautious approach with point guard Kemba Walker when it comes to playing time.
While the UConn product’s balky knee has necessitated sitting Walker for more games than Stevens likely would prefer, the former Butler coach has been concerned with how much playing time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum has been logging of late.
With as much as 45 minutes under his belt in the Feb. 29 loss to the Houston Rockets, Stevens wants to keep the young wing’s game time under 40 minutes per game, even if he’s only 22 years old, and just barely at that.
“I think we just want to keep him manageable,” said the Celtics head coach via MassLive’s John Karalis.
“Thirty-three [minutes] is maybe even a little low for him, right? Maybe he can play 35 or 36. But I want to try to limit those 40-minute games as much as we can. He’s had a couple of them the last couple weeks, partly because of overtime and partly because the other night was pretty shorthanded as well.”
Averaging 38.2 minutes per game since the All-Star break, Tatum understands the importance of staying fresh.
“That makes sense. It’s a long season,” offered Tatum. “Playoffs is most important.”
Brad Stevens trying to limit Jayson Tatum’s minutes: ‘He’s played a lot of minutes in the last month and a half' https://t.co/81leI1hI4Y
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@RedsArmy_John) March 7, 2020
While he’s unlikely to have the same sort of issues Walker has had due to a lot of miles having been put on his legs, fatigue still raises the odds of a preventable injury.
“I think we just want to keep him manageable,” Stevens related regarding Tatum’s playing time.
“Thirty-three [minutes] is maybe even a little low for him, right? Maybe he can play 35 or 36. But I want to try to limit those 40-minute games as much as we can. He’s had a couple of them the last couple weeks, partly because of overtime and partly because the other night was pretty shorthanded as well.”
For professional athletes, sitting can be difficult — particularly when their team is losing. Such has been the case for Walker when Boston has dropped important games while he’s been watching from the bench.
“It’s tough. It’s tough,” explained the Bronx native, per John Karalis.
“Obviously I’m just coming in and out the game pretty fast. But it’ll come, I guess. Just gotta keep working through it and trying my hardest not to frustrate myself.”
Walker’s teammates have noticed, and least one of them has taken his concerns to heart, calling on their teammates to put forth their best effort on a consistent basis.
Marcus Smart was NOT happy with Boston's effort against the Jazz https://t.co/jPtrqBTT3y
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 7, 2020
That teammate of course is guard Marcus Smart, who highlighted the difficulty a minutes restriction can create in finding one’s personal rhythm on-court.
“It’s tough to really get him into a groove because he’s coming out as soon as he starts to get his groove. And he’s cooling off, then has to start back up,” suggested Smart.
“That’s tough for any player. Kemba’s a great player, but that’s still tough on you, especially coming out and sitting those many games and now you’re trying to get in that rhythm, your mind’s in it, and now you’re mind’s playing tricks on you because you’re missing shots, now you’re thinking things you shouldn’t think.”
Boston will take another step towards having a healthy roster soon when forward Gordon Hayward rejoins the rotation after contusing a knee against the Brooklyn Nets Mar. 3, and that will help take pressure off the rest of the starters to play so many minutes.
And Boston will need the rest if it wants to maximise its postseason chances.
So far, the rest has had the desired effect for Walker’s health, his knee responding favorably to the slow ramp-up of activities.
“Definitely trending upward and I’m feeling good,” said Walker. “Today was the best I felt in a little while, so I’m happy about that.”
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