“Those players-only meetings don’t work to be honest,” offered Boston Celtics veteran guard Kemba Walker after one of his best games of the season after one of the Celtics’ worst.
Asked whether such a meeting was in order after a second loss to one of the NBA’s worst teams in terms of wins and losses, the UConn product played down their utility, instead suggesting the issue in need of correction was something more fundamental — and achievable for Boston. “We just need to play harder — that’s it,” he suggested. “We’re not playing hard; we’re not playing as hard as we can.”
Celtics embarrassed by Wiz on the road, drop 2nd straight game 104-91 https://t.co/A7775IQlUJ
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) February 14, 2021
On a night when only he and teammate Jaylen Brown managed to score in double figures, that much was not much in dispute. But the New Yorker also didn’t buy into the panic spreading among some fans, either.
“Teams go through adversity every single year at some point of the season, and it’s just all about how you overcome it,” added Walker. “The only way you can overcome adversity is by doing it as a whole, doing it together, and that we will do.”
The former Husky seems to be slowly turning a corner individually after a rough start to the season, and may have a point with what the team needs to do in terms of being able to figure things out given a modicum of patience.
Celtics guard Kemba Walker after losing to the Wizards: “It’s not a great feeling the way we’re playing. Can’t get no worse than this. We’re going to fix it for sure.” pic.twitter.com/YPLXmFjMNn
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 14, 2021
But a subset of Celtics fans were ready to trade him — or anyone — after Boston’s recent spate of struggles to lesser teams, and patience has been in short supply.
With one of the youngest rosters in the league even after the addition of a pair of 10+ season veterans, change may well be an important part of how the Celtics bounce back from the recent rough patch.
But as much as the taste in our mouths (and likely theirs) is bitter, there is a wisdom in Walker’s words — so long as there is a will to match their intent.
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