Boston Celtics’ All-Star guard Kemba Walker decided to shoulder the blame for the Game 1 loss to Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night. According to Walker, he is playing “terrible” basketball and needs to get better in order to give his team a chance to win.
Walker finished the 117-114 overtime loss with 19 points, six assists, and three rebounds. However, the 30-year-old had a terrible shooting night and made just one three in nine attempts.
“I’m just playing terrible, to be honest,” said Walker after the game. “Not much I can say, but I have to be better. I have to do better for this team on both ends of the floor. I have to make better decisions. I just have to make shots overall.”
Making shots came tough for Kemba Walker during these playoffs, but he especially struggled against Miami. Part of the issue was the physicality and perseverance that Heat players displayed while defending Walker, forcing him to either get rid of the ball or take tough and demanding shots.
If the Celtics are going to make a run for an NBA Finals appearance, their first since 2009/10, they need Kemba to be efficient and take his part of the offensive workload. And this is something that Boston’s head coach Brad Stevens plans to address.
“They’ve got great athletes out there,” said Stevens commenting Walker’s issues against Heat. “Some of the guards are able to keep in front with their length, and then Bam [Miami’s center Bam Adebayo] was switching a ton of pick-and-rolls all day. So we’re going to have to figure out, again, better ways to attack. Especially late.”
Boston and Miami will meet for Game 2 of the East Finals on Thursday night.
